Thermal performance of ETICS retrofitting in archetypical mediterranean school buildings: an in-situ comparative study

This study presents a comparative in-situ assessment of the thermal behavior associated with the application of an External Thermal Insulation Composite System (ETICS) in public primary school buildings located in a Mediterranean climate. Two architecturally identical schools in Seville (Spain) were...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Cimiano Prados, María, Morales Conde, María Jesús, Pedreño Rojas, Manuel Alejandro
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Sevilla (US)
Repositorio:idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla
OAI Identifier:oai:dnet:idus________::a3df920764d551ddd0a8535920eaa8be
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/11441/185350
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2026.117394
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:ETICS retrofitting
Thermal performance
School buildings
Mediterranean climate
In-situ monitoring
Descripción
Sumario:This study presents a comparative in-situ assessment of the thermal behavior associated with the application of an External Thermal Insulation Composite System (ETICS) in public primary school buildings located in a Mediterranean climate. Two architecturally identical schools in Seville (Spain) were monitored under free-running conditions, one in its original state and the other retrofitted with ETICS. The analysis relies on directly measured temperature-based indicators, including interior and exterior surface temperatures and indoor air temperatures, recorded during representative summer and winter school-week periods. The results show that the retrofitted building exhibited a moderated thermal response relative to the original case in both seasons. In summer, lower interior surface temperatures and reduced daily temperature amplitude were observed in the retrofitted façade, while in winter higher interior surface and indoor air temperatures were recorded, indicating enhanced buffering under heating-dominated conditions. Qualitative thermographic inspection supports these findings by revealing a more homogeneous surface temperature distribution in the retrofitted façade. The studied buildings belong to a standardized public school typology widely replicated across southern Spain, which enhances the potential transferability of the observed trends to similar educational buildings in Mediterranean climates. Overall, the study contributes empirical evidence on the envelope-driven thermal response of ETICS retrofits in existing schools under free-running conditions, supporting passive renovation strategies in warm Mediterranean contexts.