The analysis of each school was first focused on the analysis of the interior lighting conditions and of the shadow pattern for each window in order to select "critical” windows that needed shading protections to reduce heat gain due to solar radiation.

The shading analysis for every window was performed overlapping the sun charts on a photography of the surrounding made using a fish eye lens (360° angle view on the horizontal plane and 180° angle view on vertical plane).

To take the pictures the camera was located on a tripod, on an horizontal plane, facing the objective upside.

The final result was a polar view of the surrounding for each single point; using the pictures with the appropriate sun chart it was possible to calculate the influence of the surrounding to reduce solar gains.

In a second phase, all the information regarding the buildings was organised in a database that considered:

— shape and location;

— use of the building;

— year of construction;

— materials and physical properties of the envelope.

Six sample reference models with similar building technologies were selected and simulated to analyse their performances:

Model A prefabricated panels dimension 60×240 cm;

Model B prefabricated panels with a vertical size of about 400 cm;

Model C asbestos panels;

Model D prefabricated panels dimension 300×18;

Model E prefabricated panels dimension 60×360;

Model F prefabricated panels dimension 120×360.

For each one of the construction technologies different building shapes, dimensions and orientations have been selected.

Different solutions (i. e. improving U value, different shading devices) have been tested for the different buildings; for every model the energy effect of every transformation was reported in order to let the planner know the priority and effects the proposed solutions.