University of Brescia (UNIBS) research unit is composed by two senior researchers, a fixed-term researcher and a research fellow. UNIBS is primarily responsible for three activities: the identification and characterization of disadvantaged contexts where the panels made of EoLHM can be installed, the preparation of the EoLHM panels which will subsequently be characterized thermally at UniBO, and finally, the development of a Matlab code to determine the panel stratigraphy (the sequence of layers of different EoLHM and their thickness).
The aim of the first activity, in particular, is to identify the typical building technology, dwelling dimensions, wall thermal resistance, wall periodic thermal resistance, and the outdoor climatic condition (indoor and outdoor temperature, humidity and solar radiation) necessary to the definition of numerical models for further analyses. Data is collected from the literature, abacus and standards. The contexts will be characterized also from an acoustics point of view through noise maps (if available from the municipalities), or by making sound pressure level measurements inside and outside the dwellings. On the basis of the information gathered, it will be possible to define classes of buildings and identify how they can be refurbished to meet the thermal and acoustic performance required by national and local regulations. Moreover, it will be identified a test case where the panels can be installed.
The third main activity of this research group is the development of a Matlab code to optimize the panels made of EoLHM, following the collection of data from literature and the thermal characterization carried out by UNIBO. The Matlab code, considering the indoor/outdoor conditions and the characteristics of the existing building, determines the panel stratigraphy (the sequence of layers of different EoLHM and their thickness). In particular, the MATLAB code will be used to determine the periodic thermal resistance of the panel.
Mariagrazia Pilotelli - Mariagrazia is researcher in Thermal Sciences at the University of Brescia. She is a mechanical engineer and received her Ph.D. in Energetics from the Polytechnic University of Milan. She has been teaching thermodynamics and heat transfer for more than 20 years. Her research activities over the years have concerned various applications of thermodynamics and heat transfer both in industry and in buildings. In recent years she has been studying solutions for improving comfort inside buildings with a focus on sustainability of the materials and issues related to district heating networks, such as storage tanks and fifth-generation district heating networks. She is also involved in projects to enhance the utilization of local energy resources in developing countries, such as improved stoves fueled by waste biomass.
Edoardo Piana - Edoardo Piana holds the position of associate professor and founder/head of the Applied Acoustics Laboratory (ISO 9001 certified) at the University of Brescia.
His main research fields are: acoustic insulation of composite materials, acoustic absorption of innovative materials, acoustic metamaterials, environmental acoustics, noise from high voltage power lines and electrical substations and sound propagation in ducts.
He authored numerous articles in international and national scientific journals and participates actively to the main congresses in the sector. He is the scientific referent for the University of Brescia in the cooperation agreements for the development of projects in the field of vibroacoustic with the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm and the Katholieke Universiteit in Leuven with the MSCA ActaReBuild project.
Member of ISO/TC 43/SC 2/WG 32, "Determination of acoustical parameters of materials" and of the UNI technical commission "Acoustic and vibrations", collaborates with various companies on projects with high scientific content.
At his own university, he holds Applied Acoustics and Technical Physics courses. He has also supervised numerous degree and doctoral theses.
Manuela Neri - Manuela is born in 1986 and she graduated at the University of Brescia in 2012 (5-years "laurea" degree in Architectural Engineering), with a thesis on heat transfer at chimney-roof penetration in relation to the risk of fire.
In 2016, at the same University she got an Europaeus Ph.D. in “Technologies and energy systems for the mechanical industry”, with a thesis on the numerical and experimental analysis of heat transfer at chimney roof penetration. The results presented in Manuela’s work were used for the definition of a new European standard for the certification of chimneys. From this study, Manuela designed and patented a device for limiting the temperature in the vicinity of a chimney flue. The right to use the patent now belongs to an Italian company. Manuela, during her PhD spent five months at the TTY University (Tampere-Finland) were she collaborated with the Civil Engineering Department investigating the chimney-roof fire problems. The collaboration resulted in several publications in scientific international journals. In 2018, Manuela became RTD-A in Thermal Science, at the University of Brescia. Manuela works on heat transfer, energy consumption and energy saving in industrial processes and in buildings. In recent years, Manuela investigated the possibility of reusing end-of-life household materials to realize panels for the improvement of the acoustic and thermal comfort in buildings. The research is made by means of numerical simulations and experimental tests. Manuela is author of about 20 international scientific papers, and her h-index is 7.
Manuela is the designed representative of University of Brescia for the international collaboration with the Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya of Barcelona (Spain), and the Brno University of Technology (Czech republic). In 2019 and 2021, Manuela was invited at the Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya of Barcelona in the role of visiting researcher and, there, she analyzed the characteristics of several buildings located in disadvantaged contexts. At University of Brescia, Manuela has taught Thermal Science (exercises part) to students of Civil, Environmental, and Management engineering respectively, and also to students of the “Techniques of building” course.