Valentina Leoni

Graduation: Civil Engineering and Architecture at University of Genoa

Supervisor: Prof.ssa Anna Magrini

Thesis title: Sustainable innovation in air conditioning systems: extracting water from the air and integrating into HVAC systems. Analysis of an office case study using dynamic simulation

Abstract: The adoption of innovative solutions in the energy retrofitting of existing buildings is becoming increasingly urgent in order to contribute to the sustainable development of the region. This paper proposes the use of integrated technologies for energy and water recovery in air-conditioning systems. In particular, it describes the design of a project involving the use of an Atmospheric Water Generator (AWG) alongside the existing equipment of an HVAC system serving an office building. Using dynamic energy simulation carried out with DesignBuilder software, the current system status was compared with an advanced retrofit scenario incorporating AWG-HVAC integration. The analysis focused on the efficiency of the integrated system in terms of the simultaneous production of drinking water, air conditioning and heat recovery, evaluating the performance indices COP, EER, WET and GEI for a comprehensive quantification of the multi-effect benefits. The results show that the adoption of integrated AWG systems enables a significant reduction in energy consumption and CO₂ emissions, whilst improving the building’s water resilience. This approach is consistent with the decarbonisation targets promoted by the European Green Deal and with the Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings (NZEB) regulations, and is economically viable in the medium term, with competitive payback periods. The research highlights the potential for applying AWGs as an efficient and replicable solution in different building contexts from an environmental sustainability perspective, with a particular focus on the synergy between energy consumption and water use.