PEOPLESimone Panico

de en it

Simone Panico

Senior Researcher
Institute for Renewable Energy

T +39 0471 055 667

simone.panico@eurac.edu

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1183-4193

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About

I am Dr. Simone Panico, specializing in Building Physics with a keen focus on the sustainable adaptation of historic buildings. Holding a Ph.D. from Università del Salento, my research at Eurac Research delves into hygrothermal simulations, aiming to optimize the energy performance of architectural heritage. Collaborations with institutions like UCL and contributions to esteemed journals underscore my commitment to bridging the past's architectural beauty with future sustainability requirements.

Scientific Publications

Journal article2026

Monitored hygrothermal dataset of a high-altitude Dolomite refuge: wall and indoor climate at 2870 m a.s.l.

Panico S, Zandonai A, Leonardi E, Larcher M, Cennamo D, Herrera D, Troi A

Marco Larcher, Alexandra Troi, David Cennamo, Eleonora Leonardi, Simone Panico

Progetto: PNRR iNEST - Ecosistema interconnesso dell'innovazione del Nord Est

A five-year hygrothermal dataset (23 September 2020 to 8 August 2025) was compiled from Rifugio Boé, a 1905 stone mountain refuge situated at 2870 m a.s.l. in the Dolomites. The dataset includes hourly recordings of outdoor climate parameters (temperature, relative humidity, global tilted irradiance, and driving rain), indoor conditions across six functionally distinct rooms, and temperature–humidity profiles at three depths within the retrofitted south-east wall. The monitoring system was engineered for robust, long-term operation under harsh alpine conditions. Data are provided in CSV format, accompanied by comprehensive sensor metadata. The dataset supports: (i) validation of hygrothermal simulation models under extreme alpine conditions; (ii) evaluation of the long-term performance and durability of internal insulation within historic masonry; and (iii) benchmarking of moisture-related risk in high-altitude heritage structures. Moreover, the dataset offers a rare opportunity to examine hygrothermal responses in high-elevation-built heritage, a research domain where long-term, high-frequency data remain scarce.

DOI Fonte

DOI: 10.1038/s41597-025-06441-3

Journal article2024

Long-term monitoring data of hygrothermal conditions of a retrofitted historic building in Settequerce, South Tyrol (Italy)

Panico S, Larcher M, Herrera-Avellanosa D, Cennamo D, Troi A

Marco Larcher, Alexandra Troi, David Cennamo, Simone Panico

Progetto: Realizzazione e avvio delle attività del nuovo laboratorio "HyLab" per la caratterizzazione igrotermica di materiali e componenti edili, PNRR iNEST - Ecosistema interconnesso dell'innovazione del Nord Est

This data collection presents a comprehensive five-year monitoring record from a historic building located in Settequerce, South Tyrol (Italy). The 17th-century building, characterized by a stone masonry, was subject to a retrofit in 2017 that introduced a wood fiber insulation panel to the inner side of the building's walls. As part of the renovation process, a monitoring system was installed. This system incorporated internal, external, and in-wall sensors, which were strategically placed at three different points within the wall to evaluate the effects of the insulation on the stratigraphy. This setup ensured the continuous collection of climatic data, both from the exterior and interior environments, as well as from within the renovated wall's stratigraphy. This comprehensive dataset delivers new insights into the long-term performance of retrofit interventions. The significant potential for reuse of this dataset makes it a substantial foundation for future studies on energy-efficient retrofitting and the preservation of historical structures in comparable climate (Climate E Köppen). It is expected to inform data-driven decisions in future renovation and preservation projects of comparable historic buildings.

DOI Fonte

DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2024.110137

Journal article2023

Eco-Sustainable Energy Production in Healthcare: Trends and Challenges in Renewable Energy Systems

Mazzeo D, Baglivo C, Panico S, Manieri M, Matera N, Congedo PM

Simone Panico

The shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy systems represents a pivotal step toward the realization of a sustainable society. This study aims to analyze representative scientific literature on eco-sustainable energy production in the healthcare sector, particularly in hospitals. Given hospitals’ substantial electricity consumption, the adoption of renewable energy offers a reliable, low-CO₂ emission solution. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the urgency for energy-efficient and environmentally-responsible approaches. This brief review analyzes the development of experimental, simulation, and optimization projects for sustainable energy production in healthcare facilities. The analysis reveals trends and challenges in renewable energy systems, offering valuable insights into the potential of eco-sustainable solutions in the healthcare sector. The findings indicate that hydrogen storage systems are consistently coupled with photovoltaic panels or solar collectors, but only 14% of the analyzed studies explore this potential within hospital settings. Hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) could be used to meet the energy demands of healthcare centers and hospitals. However, the integration of HRES in hospitals and medical buildings is understudied.

DOI Fonte

DOI: 10.3390/en16217285

Journal article2023

Hygrothermal simulation challenges: Assessing boundary condition choices in retrofitting historic European buildings

Panico S, Larcher M, Avellanosa DH, Baglivo C, Troi A, Congedo PM

Marco Larcher, Alexandra Troi, Simone Panico

Progetto: Realizzazione e avvio delle attività del nuovo laboratorio "HyLab" per la caratterizzazione igrotermica di materiali e componenti edili

This study explores the influence of uncertain boundary climate conditions on the hygrothermal performance of an internally insulated historic masonry wall using numerical simulations. The research compares diverse internal and external climate data sources to evaluate their reliability. A pre-validated hygrothermal simulation model serves as the benchmark for comparing simulated data with actual monitoring data. An array of climate data sources, including adaptive indoor climate models defined in the EN 15026 and UNI EN ISO 13788 standards, Typical Meteorological Years, and ground weather station data are considered. The core assessment parameters are temperature and relative humidity values beneath the insulation. Unexpectedly, the findings reveal that external climate conditions have a minor influence on the simulation results. Conversely, internal climate conditions significantly impact the outcomes, causing substantial variations. These implications underline the criticality of selecting an appropriate indoor climate model and moisture load class. The incorrect choice can lead to substantial errors, with peak relative humidity values predicted by the models varying in a range greater than 15 percentage points of relative humidity. In conclusion, the study reveals that utilizing Typical Meteorological Years and adaptive indoor climate models still yields excellent results, despite the inherent uncertainties. Moreover, this study emphasizes the importance of carefully selecting suitable indoor climate models to enhance the accuracy of hygrothermal simulations in historic buildings and underlines the need for future research focused on developing more precise guidelines for identifying the correct moisture load classes.

DOI Fonte

DOI: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2023.113464

Journal article2023

Identifying key parameters through a sensitivity analysis for realistic hygrothermal simulations at wall level supported by monitored data

Panico S, Larcher M, Marincioni V, Troi A, Baglivo C, Congedo PM

Simone Panico, Marco Larcher, Alexandra Troi

The reliability of hygrothermal simulations of building components is key for designing energy efficiency measures, assessing living comfort, and preventing building damage. The model accuracy is related to the reliability of the selection of input parameters. Due to the high uncertainty, the selection of the input values is challenging. This work aims to calibrate a hygrothermal simulation model exploiting monitored values recorded in a case study located in Settequerce (Italy), to understand how close to reality a numerical model can be. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis, based on the Morris method together with a Latin Hypercube sampling, is applied to identify the input parameters that affect most significantly the simulation. The results of the calibration indicated that is possible to obtain reliable outputs by appropriately selecting materials within the database. The sensitivity analysis showed that the relative humidity under the insulation is largely influenced by the water vapor diffusion resistance factor of the plaster, applied during the renovation phase both on the internal and external side. Among the coefficients describing the coupling with the boundary conditions, only the external convective heat coefficient and the coefficient of short-wave solar radiation influence slightly the objective function.

DOI Fonte

DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2022.109969

Journal article2023

Monitoring rising damp in solid masonry walls: An experimental comparison of five different methods

Panico S, Herrera-Avellanosa D, Troi A

Alexandra Troi, Simone Panico

This study focuses on the monitoring of rising damp, a widespread phenomenon that causes moisture-related damages in existing construction. Diagnosing moisture-related damages in construction can be difficult due to the many potential causes of moisture accumulation. The study aims to contribute to the understanding and diagnosis of moisture sources by evaluating and comparing different monitoring techniques for the diagnosis of rising damp in different types of masonry (brick, stone, and reinforced concrete). Five methods were evaluated and compared: gravimetric test, wall weighing, temperature and humidity sensors placed inside the wall, microwave instrumentation, and thermographic images. The results of the study showed that the gravimetric test is the only method that provides reliable and quantitative data, but it has limitations such as the need to ensure that the extracted powders consist of a single material and the potential for heat to cause moisture to evaporate quickly. The weighing method is time-consuming and limited to lab settings, and the use of sensors placed inside the wall is semi-invasive but has important limitations such as sensor reliability and different results in masonry with heterogeneous composition. The data obtained with microwave instruments cannot be easily correlated with the amount of moisture, and the method proposed for the analysis of thermographic images allows for the assessment of the evaporation area over time but has greater uncertainty in some replicas. As a result if the study, a combined approach with complementary methods is suggested to reach more accurate results.

DOI Fonte

DOI: 10.1016/j.jobe.2023.106999

Journal article2022

Optimization of Micro-CAES and TES Systems for Trigeneration

Congedo PM, Baglivo C, Panico S, Mazzeo D, Matera N

Simone Panico

Energy storage makes energy continuously available, programmable, and at power levels different from the original intensity. This study investigates the feasibility of compressed-air energy storage (CAES) systems on a small scale. In addition to the CAES systems, there are two TES (thermal energy storage) systems for the recovery of calories and frigories. The micro-CAES + TES system is designed for a single-family residential building equipped with a photovoltaic system with a nominal power of 3 kW. The system is optimized as a potential alternative to battery storage for a typical domestic photovoltaic system. The multi-objective optimization analysis is carried out with the modeFRONTIER software. Once the best configuration of the micro-CAES + TES system is identified, it is compared with electrochemical storage systems, considering costs, durability, and performance. The efficiency of CAES (8.4%) is almost one-tenth of the efficiency of the most efficient batteries on the market (70–90%). Its discharge times are also extremely short. It is shown that the advantages offered by the application of mechanical accumulation on a small scale are mainly related to the exploitation of the thermal waste of the process and the estimated useful life compared to the batteries currently on the market. The studied system proves to be non-competitive compared to batteries because of its minimal efficiency and high cost.

DOI Fonte

DOI: 10.3390/en15176232

Journal article2022

Thermal Modeling of a Historical Building Wall: Using Long-Term Monitoring Data to Understand the Reliability and the Robustness of Numerical Simulations

Panico S, Larcher M, Troi A, Baglivo C, Congedo PM

Marco Larcher, Alexandra Troi, Simone Panico

: Thermal modeling of building components plays a crucial role in designing energy efficiency measures, assessing living comfort, and preventing building damages. The accuracy of the modeling process strongly depends on the reliability of the physical models and the correct selection of input parameters, especially for historic buildings where uncertainties on wall composition and material properties are higher. This work evaluates the reliability of building thermal modeling and identifies the input parameters that most affect the simulation results. A monitoring system is applied to a historic building wall to measure the temperature profile. The long-term dataset is compared with the result of a simulation model. A sensitivity analysis is applied for the determination of the influential input parameters. A two-step optimization is performed to calibrate the numerical model: the first optimization step is based on an optimized selection of the database materials, while the second optimization step uses a particle swarm algorithm. The results indicate that the output of the simulation model is largely influenced by the coefficients describing the coupling with the boundary conditions and by the thermal conductivities of the materials. Very good results are obtained already after the first optimization step (RMSE = 0.75 ◦C) while the second optimization step improves further the agreement (RMSE = 0.48 ◦C). The parameter values reported in the datasheets do not match those found through optimization. Even with extensive optimization using an algorithm, starting with monitoring data is insufficient to identify material parameter values.

DOI Fonte

DOI: 10.3390/buildings12081258

Journal article2021

Solar greenhouses: Climates, glass selection, and plant well-being

Mazzeo D, Baglivo C, Panico S, Congedo PM

Simone Panico

Solar greenhouses are currently the most energy-intensive agricultural sector. In literature, there is no worldwide mapping of solar greenhouse performance under different climate scenarios. This study analyzes the performance of a Venlo solar greenhouse for 48 localities around the world. Solar greenhouses are mainly made of a transparent envelope and the effect of the direct and diffuse component of solar radiation impacts the internal plant well-being. This study aims to identify the best solution of a transparent envelope on locations with different latitudes and evenly distributed around the globe. The simulations are carried out using TRNsys, considering different thermal phenomena three-dimensional shortwave and longwave radiative exchange, airflow exchanges, presence of lamps with their exact 3D position, ground, plant evapotranspiration, and convective heat transfer coefficients. A total of 336 simulations are performed in the free-floating regime. A new index for the identification of the best glass solutions based on annual average deviation is defined. For all climates, the best glass solutions work better in winter than in summer. The optimal choice of the glass must be combined with effective scheduling of openings for natural ventilation to avoid internal overheating phenomena.

DOI Fonte

DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2021.10.031

Journal article2020

Complete greenhouse dynamic simulation tool to assess the crop thermal well-being and energy needs

Baglivo C, Mazzeo D, Panico S, Bonuso S, Matera N, Congedo PM, Oliveti G

Simone Panico

Greenhouse technology is an important energy consumer sector representing an indispensable solution for modern methods of crop production. In the greenhouse envelope and system design phase, thermodynamic performance simulation tools are required. The greenhouse simulation is still a very complex task despite many building tools are available in the literature.

This work aims to overcome this gap by proposing a reference methodology to accommodate the building TRNSYS software for a greenhouse able to consider simultaneously different thermal phenomena with detailed modelling of: dense volume discretization, 3D shortwave and longwave radiative exchange, air flow exchanges, presence of lamps with their exact 3D position, ground and plant evapotranspiration, and convective heat transfer coefficients.

A standard hourly simulation of the one-zone greenhouse was validated with another recognized tool, showing excellent agreement throughout the year. The main parameters affecting the greenhouse thermal balance were investigated in both a free-floating and continuous regime. The investigation has shown that a standard simulation is accurate to only reproduce the thermal response in a free-floating regime; instead, the detailed simulation has led to overall cooling and heating energy needs in the continuous regime, respectively, of 51.4 kWh/m³ and 49.1 kWh/m³, avoiding to obtain very high errors.

DOI Fonte

DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2020.115698

Journal article2020

Data from a dynamic simulation in a free-floating and continuous regime of a solar greenhouse modelled in TRNSYS 17 considering simultaneously different thermal phenomena

Baglivo C, Mazzeo D, Panico S, Bonuso S, Matera N, Congedo PM, Oliveti G

Simone Panico

This dataset supports the research article “Complete greenhouse dynamic simulation tool to assess the crop thermal well-being and energy needs” . In the agricultural sector, the use of energy can be very intensive and the simulation of solar greenhouses is a very complex work . This dataset provides the results of thermal modeling and dynamic simulation of a solar greenhouse considering simultaneously several thermal phenomena. The analysis was performed by TRNSYS 17 software (TRaNsient SYstem Simulation). The results obtained consider different phenomena that affect the thermal behavior of the greenhouse, including evapotranspiration produced by plants, heat exchange with the soil and the presence of artificial lights. Different models are presented for the calculation of the convective coefficient that best suits the presence of glass surfaces, considering the different discretization of the internal volume (single thermal zone and twenty thermal zones). The parameters that influence the thermal behavior of the greenhouse are analyzed on an hourly basis, the model has been validated with EnergyPlus. The data allow the researcher to choose a suitable greenhouse model in the case of free-floating model or in the presence of an air conditioning system

DOI Fonte

DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2020.106339

Journal article2020

Dynamic Analysis of the Natural and Mechanical Ventilation of a Solar Greenhouse by Coupling Controlled Mechanical Ventilation (CMV) with an Earth-to-Air Heat Exchanger (EAHX)

Bonuso S, Panico S, Baglivo C, Mazzeo D, Matera N, Congedo PM, Oliveti G

Simone Panico

Greenhouse crops represent a significant productive sector of the agricultural system; one of the main problems to be addressed is indoor air conditioning to ensure thermal well-being of crops. This study focuses on the ventilation analysis of solar greenhouse with symmetrical flat pitched roof and single span located in a warm temperate climate. This work proposes the dynamic analysis of the greenhouse modeled in TRNsys, simultaneously considering different thermal phenomena three-dimensional (3D) shortwave and longwave radiative exchange, airflow exchanges, presence of lamps with their exact 3D position, ground and plant evapotranspiration, and convective heat transfer coefficients. Several air conditioning systems were analyzed, automatic window opening, controlled mechanical ventilation systems (CMV) and horizontal Earth-to-Air Heat Exchanger (EAHX) coupled with CMV, for different air volume changes per hour. In summer, the exploitation of the ground allows having excellent results with the EAHX system, reducing the temperature peaks of up to 5 °C compared to the use of CMV. In winter, it is interesting to note that, although the EAHX is not the solution that raises the temperature the most during the day, its use allows flattening the thermal wave more. In fact, the trend is almost constant during the day, raising the temperature during the first and last hours of the day.

DOI Fonte

DOI: 10.3390/en13143676

Technical
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Journal article2023

Hygrothermal simulation challenges: Assessing boundary condition choices in retrofitting historic European buildings

Panico S, Larcher M, Avellanosa DH, Baglivo C, Troi A, Congedo PM

Marco Larcher, Alexandra Troi, Simone Panico

Progetto: Realizzazione e avvio delle attività del nuovo laboratorio "HyLab" per la caratterizzazione igrotermica di materiali e componenti edili

DOI Fonte

DOI: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2023.113464

Simone Panico

About

Scientific Publications

Monitored hygrothermal dataset of a high-altitude Dolomite refuge: wall and indoor climate at 2870 m a.s.l.

Long-term monitoring data of hygrothermal conditions of a retrofitted historic building in Settequerce, South Tyrol (Italy)

Eco-Sustainable Energy Production in Healthcare: Trends and Challenges in Renewable Energy Systems

Hygrothermal simulation challenges: Assessing boundary condition choices in retrofitting historic European buildings

Identifying key parameters through a sensitivity analysis for realistic hygrothermal simulations at wall level supported by monitored data

Monitoring rising damp in solid masonry walls: An experimental comparison of five different methods

Optimization of Micro-CAES and TES Systems for Trigeneration

Thermal Modeling of a Historical Building Wall: Using Long-Term Monitoring Data to Understand the Reliability and the Robustness of Numerical Simulations

Solar greenhouses: Climates, glass selection, and plant well-being

Complete greenhouse dynamic simulation tool to assess the crop thermal well-being and energy needs

Data from a dynamic simulation in a free-floating and continuous regime of a solar greenhouse modelled in TRNSYS 17 considering simultaneously different thermal phenomena

Dynamic Analysis of the Natural and Mechanical Ventilation of a Solar Greenhouse by Coupling Controlled Mechanical Ventilation (CMV) with an Earth-to-Air Heat Exchanger (EAHX)

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Scientific Publications

Monitored hygrothermal dataset of a high-altitude Dolomite refuge: wall and indoor climate at 2870 m a.s.l.

Long-term monitoring data of hygrothermal conditions of a retrofitted historic building in Settequerce, South Tyrol (Italy)

Eco-Sustainable Energy Production in Healthcare: Trends and Challenges in Renewable Energy Systems

Hygrothermal simulation challenges: Assessing boundary condition choices in retrofitting historic European buildings

Identifying key parameters through a sensitivity analysis for realistic hygrothermal simulations at wall level supported by monitored data

Monitoring rising damp in solid masonry walls: An experimental comparison of five different methods

Optimization of Micro-CAES and TES Systems for Trigeneration

Thermal Modeling of a Historical Building Wall: Using Long-Term Monitoring Data to Understand the Reliability and the Robustness of Numerical Simulations

Solar greenhouses: Climates, glass selection, and plant well-being

Complete greenhouse dynamic simulation tool to assess the crop thermal well-being and energy needs

Data from a dynamic simulation in a free-floating and continuous regime of a solar greenhouse modelled in TRNSYS 17 considering simultaneously different thermal phenomena

Dynamic Analysis of the Natural and Mechanical Ventilation of a Solar Greenhouse by Coupling Controlled Mechanical Ventilation (CMV) with an Earth-to-Air Heat Exchanger (EAHX)