Energy consumption in buildings - especially those related to heating - make up for 40% of the total European consumption.

For this reason, in the last years, we are striving to improve the use of energy sources as much as possible, by increasing their energy efficiency.

To this end, the Italian law foresees tax deductions and grants in case of interventions that optimize the use of energy.

What does energy efficiency means and how is it linked to energy savings

In engineering, the energy efficiency of a physical system represents its capacity of obtaining a result using less energy orincreasing its general yield. This characteristic entails two important results:

• on one side, increasing the energy efficiency, to obtain high energy savings;
• on the other side, obtaining this way also a reduction of the costs.

Therefore, energy efficiency expresses the capacity of a system of optimizing results.

In the case of a residential unit, we should take its energy requirements into account. The lower the consumption required to meet them, the better its energy efficiency.

Consequently, a house has a good energy efficiency when it manages to generate energy savings, e.g. by reducing the energy used for heating purposes.

Energy efficiency is a ratio. It is expressed with a number from 0 to 1 (or by multiplying the result by one hundred, in percentage). 0% corresponds to the complete "wastage" of a system, which consumes energy without generating any result, while 100% indicates an optimal efficiency, by which every part of energy input into the system is transformed into a result.

They are both theoretical cases, since any process generates some kind of result, and no system can transform energy without waste or losses.

Generally speaking, energy efficiency means the capacity of using energy in the best way possible, and consequently all those design and implementation actions that make this possible.

Energy savings are not achieved only economically, but also environmentally, by reducing avoidable waste and preserving resources.

In Italy, the energy efficiency Directive is introduced by Standard UNI CEI EN ISO 50001:2011 -"Energy management systems - Requirements and use guidelines", which lists the minimum requirements that a system must have.

Italian regulation, with Legislative Decree n. 115 of 30 May 2008 ("Implementation of Directive 2006/32/EC concerning the efficiency of energy end uses and energy services, abrogating Directive 93/76/EEC"), defines efficiency as "the ratio between the results in terms of yield, services, goods or energy, to be meant as service provided, and the energy input".

While energy improvement means improving the energy efficiency value, that is, the set of operations that can optimize the use of energy sources.

This ratio is certified by a special document, the energy efficiency certificate or APE. The standard does not only identify the obligations, but also the incentives and measures to implement to improve the energy efficiency, in the way of grants, such as the Ecobonus.

Thanks to these grants, in view of the initial costs, significant economic savings are set in place which (over time) will pay off the expense.

What is ENEA and its regulations

ENEA is the Agenzia nazionale per le nuove tecnologie, l'energia e lo sviluppo economico sostenibile (National agency for new technologies, energy and sustainable economic development) - a public body with research, technical innovation and advance service provision functions for companies, public administrations, and citizens, in the areas of energy, environment and sustainable economic development.

An integral part of ENEA is the Agenzia Nazionale Efficienza energetica (National energy efficiency agency), established by Legislative Decree n. 115 of 30 May 2008, Implementation of Directive 2006/32/EC concerning the efficiency of energy end uses and energy services, abrogating Directive 93/76/EEC, which offers technical support to companies, supports public administrations in preparing, implementing and controlling national energy policies, and promotes training and information campaigns to spread a culture of energy efficiency.

To get access to the tax deductions resulting from the energy efficiency process - such as the Ecobonus - citizens must send a communication to the Enea, within 90 days from the end of works, even online, through the body's website.

After indicating the type of deduction you want to request, you need to specify the property in question, the land registry data, year of construction, area, use, and then describe the intervention carried out, with relevant dates and technical details.

Among those interventions that give access to heating-related deductions, there are: installation of heat metering systems in centralized heating units for multiple users, and installation of heat regulation and building automation systems.

How the heating system chosen affects the energy efficiency

One of the items of expenditure that can be significantly reduced by improving the energy efficiency is precisely heating costs.

For this reason, in the last period, and especially for new buildings, heat pumps are frequently used as heating systems.

Being a closed circuit with a cooling liquid inside, subject to cyclic status changes, from liquid to gas and vice versa, a heat pump can transform liquids into gases.

By using electric power, another passage to the liquid state will occur at the compressor's height, and the machine will transfer heat to the system. Everything is performed cyclically, and ends through an expansion valve that lets the liquid go back to its initial conditions.

This heating system, which gives back to the system much more energy than it consumes, allows significantly increasing the energy efficiency, which varies with the operating temperatures.

This way, heat pumps can be used to heat up a house in a convenient and renewable way, which - for this reason - gives entitlement to very significant (or favourable) tax deductions, which can be obtained even as immediate discounts on the invoice.

Moreover, being water, this system is completely eco-sustainable, since, without burning any fossil fuel, a heat pump does not emit CO2 or other pollutants.

What's more, even in more traditional heating systems, installing special "smart" devices can help increase the energy efficiency significantly.

Why a smart heating system promotes energy efficiency

IRSAP NOW  smart heating system significantly improves energy savings in residential units.

First of all, this system allows setting different temperatures in the rooms, through a multi-zone smart heating with remote control, to customize the comfort of your home according to your needs.

Indeed, thanks to the  smart thermostatic valves, you can program a different temperature in every single room of the house, depending on the use and specific habits of those who use them.

This way, you significantly lower energy wastage, and also ensure the utmost living comfort.

Moreover, with the Home/Away mode of IRSAP NOW smart thermostat, you can set different temperatures in the different environments, and also on different times of the day, according to the actual room usage.

With the app and an accurate geolocalization, the system, after detecting that no one is home, adjust the heat, using a lot less energy.

All this is possible thanks to IRSAP advanced algorithms, the result of over 50 years of experience in the heating sector.

These algorithms can learn from your habits and help you save energy, and also keep the system use in check.

By installing IRSAP NOW smart heating system components, you'll get double the savings: apart from gaining access to several tax deductions, this kind of system generates significant energy and economic savings.

Discover when with IRSAP simulator!