{"id":16306,"date":"2026-04-29T10:00:55","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T09:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/serisolar.com\/?p=16306"},"modified":"2026-04-28T09:48:47","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T08:48:47","slug":"energy-efficiency-industrial-buildings-without-structural-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/serisolar.com\/en\/energy-efficiency-industrial-buildings-without-structural-work\/","title":{"rendered":"Upgrading existing industrial buildings: energy efficiency without structural interventions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>In today\u2019s scenario, the energy retrofit of industrial and commercial buildings and, in particular, industrial halls, is shifting from a value-driven choice to a necessity, if not an imperative.<br>On one hand, European Union directives towards decarbonisation are becoming increasingly strict; on the other, climate conditions are making the thermal management of these buildings a critical factor for operational continuity.<br>However, the structural obsolescence and thermal inefficiency of industrial real estate should not necessarily be interpreted as elements that require the construction of new and more efficient buildings.<br>There are powerful, innovative and effective solutions to upgrade existing structures from an energy perspective, capable of achieving sustainability goals in compliance with regulations, with proportionate costs and without requiring invasive interventions.<br>In this article, we analyse the current state of the existing industrial building stock, the main critical issues and the opportunities to intervene, achieving effective results in a short time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/serisolar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1.-IMG_0502MART-ROVERETO-2021.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/serisolar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1.-IMG_0502MART-ROVERETO-2021-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-16324\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/serisolar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1.-IMG_0502MART-ROVERETO-2021-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/serisolar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1.-IMG_0502MART-ROVERETO-2021-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/serisolar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1.-IMG_0502MART-ROVERETO-2021-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/serisolar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1.-IMG_0502MART-ROVERETO-2021-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/serisolar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1.-IMG_0502MART-ROVERETO-2021-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/serisolar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1.-IMG_0502MART-ROVERETO-2021-675x450.jpg 675w, https:\/\/serisolar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1.-IMG_0502MART-ROVERETO-2021-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/serisolar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1.-IMG_0502MART-ROVERETO-2021.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Table of contents<\/h2><nav><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#capannoni-industriali-punti-critici-e-vulnerabilita\">Industrial buildings: critical points and vulnerabilities<\/a><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#le-coperture-opache-dei-capannoni-industriali\">Opaque roofs of industrial buildings<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#lucernai-e-superfici-trasparenti-e-traslucide\">Skylights and transparent and translucent surfaces<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#la-riqualificazione-passiva-una-gestione-innovativa-e-intelligente\">Passive retrofit: an innovative and intelligent approach<\/a><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#quando-una-copertura-diventa-un-cool-roof\">When a roof becomes a cool roof<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#isolare-le-vetrate-e-proteggere-i-lucernai\">Insulating glazing and protecting skylights<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#la-continuita-operativa-da-minaccia-a-prezioso-alleato\">Operational continuity: from threat to valuable ally<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#microclima-produttivita-e-sicurezza\">Microclimate, productivity and safety<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#lapproccio-strategico-di-serisolar-la-sostenibilita-senza-difficolta\">Serisolar\u2019s strategic approach: sustainability without complexity<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"capannoni-industriali-punti-critici-e-vulnerabilita\">Industrial buildings: critical points and vulnerabilities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A large part of the Italian industrial real estate stock was built between the 1970s and 1980s: industrial halls are mostly constructed with prefabricated prestressed reinforced concrete structures or with light steel structures. This results in these buildings being classified within energy classes between E and G, the lowest on the reference scale.<br>From a structural perspective, the main critical issues from an energy point of view are two: opaque roofs on one side and skylights and transparent surfaces on the other.<br>Let us examine in detail why they represent a vulnerability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"le-coperture-opache-dei-capannoni-industriali\">Opaque roofs of industrial buildings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The roofs of industrial halls are generally flat, vaulted or shed roofs made with concrete elements on which a bituminous membrane has been applied.<br>These are surfaces with minimal reflective capacity and, on the contrary, with high absorbance. This means that during the summer months they can easily reach temperatures of up to 80\u00b0C, while during winter they drop to very low levels.<br>Furthermore, these roofs generally do not have adequate insulation nor efficient thermal protection, which results in extreme temperatures inside working environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"lucernai-e-superfici-trasparenti-e-traslucide\">Skylights and transparent and translucent surfaces<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The second critical element of industrial buildings, both older and more recent, concerns transparent surfaces such as glazing and skylights.<br>Designed as solutions to increase natural lighting inside buildings, skylights\u2014generally made of polycarbonate or fibreglass\u2014represent major weaknesses from a thermal perspective and beyond. Over time, they tend to become opaque, reducing their light transmission capacity, and they contribute to amplifying the greenhouse effect inside due to their high thermal transmittance.<br>Moreover, extreme weather conditions such as hail and frost, unfortunately increasingly frequent, damage skylights causing water infiltration and issues related to humidity and mould.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"la-riqualificazione-passiva-una-gestione-innovativa-e-intelligente\">Passive retrofit: an innovative and intelligent approach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Solutions for energy retrofit do not need to require structural interventions. The strategy of passive systems operates in an innovative way: instead of preventing heat transfer through mass, it acts on the management of radiation, therefore on reflection and attenuation phenomena.<br>Technological evolution has enabled the development of highly performing products capable of significantly improving indoor thermal comfort without requiring the installation of new systems or even more invasive operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"quando-una-copertura-diventa-un-cool-roof\">When a roof becomes a cool roof<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For opaque surfaces, whose main issue concerns overheating during summer months, as described, there is a practical and easy-to-install solution: the application of reflective coatings.<br>These products are high-emissivity coatings that transform a roof into a so-called cool roof. Once applied, the coating reflects most of the incoming solar radiation before it turns into heat. At the same time, the heat that is still absorbed is re-emitted as thermal radiation, thus preventing overheating.<br>The drastic reduction of the roof surface temperature results in a lower incoming heat flow, leading to an improvement in indoor microclimate.<br>From an energy consumption perspective, this translates into immediate savings in cooling costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"isolare-le-vetrate-e-proteggere-i-lucernai\">Insulating glazing and protecting skylights<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As for transparent surfaces, it is possible to intervene in several ways to improve indoor comfort and prevent damage and losses.<br>Solutions for glazing are applied with the aim of filtering incoming solar radiation: these are modern solar control films that block UV and IR rays, protecting goods and interiors while allowing light transmission. These solutions reflect solar radiation that amplifies the greenhouse effect without creating a darkening effect.<br>For the energy upgrade and refurbishment of skylights, there are also reinforced reflective coatings that protect joints and structural elements while lowering surface temperature, as well as waterproofing systems that restore tightness, prevent infiltration and protect against wear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"la-continuita-operativa-da-minaccia-a-prezioso-alleato\">Operational continuity: from threat to valuable ally<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The value of operational continuity is crucial and must be protected. Solutions and interventions that do not require production interruption become even more important because they achieve the objective\u2014energy retrofit\u2014without the burden of indirect costs related to production downtime.<br>Replacing a roof, in fact, involves not only direct costs but also the costs of plant shutdown, an economic loss that is often higher than the cost of the intervention itself.<br>The application of reflective and waterproof coatings, as well as solar control films, on the other hand, does not require the suspension of production activities and is carried out externally.<br>In addition to non-interference, there is also a speed of installation that cannot be compared to structural interventions\u2014factors that favour low-impact passive solutions over traditional alternatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"microclima-produttivita-e-sicurezza\">Microclimate, productivity and safety<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, another aspect that should not be underestimated concerns the benefits of energy efficiency improvements which, by enhancing indoor climate conditions, reduce thermal stress for workers\u2014an occupational risk that is far from negligible.<br>Where air conditioning is absent, as often happens in many industrial buildings, passive solutions represent the only way to reduce internal temperatures and make the working environment more tolerable from a microclimate perspective. Where air conditioning systems are present, these solutions reduce energy consumption while optimising system performance.<br>In general, it is unnecessary to emphasise how much thermal comfort in working environments increases people\u2019s well-being, their productivity and at the same time protects and enhances safety.<br>Passive solutions for energy efficiency and building retrofit improve the working experience not only by enabling more comfortable temperatures, but also by improving visual comfort: the installation of solar control films significantly reduces glare on screens and consequently limits fatigue and errors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"lapproccio-strategico-di-serisolar-la-sostenibilita-senza-difficolta\">Serisolar\u2019s strategic approach: sustainability without complexity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Serisolar\u2019s commitment is clear: as a partner for companies seeking solid and effective energy retrofit strategies, our goal is to identify the most suitable solution for each individual case.<br>Aware of the importance of protecting operational continuity and the value of time when it comes to production downtime, our interventions are designed not to require any changes to ordinary activities within a production facility.<br>The technologies we offer do not disrupt the structures of industrial and commercial buildings because there is no need: to improve the thermal performance of a building envelope, it is not necessary to invade internal production spaces or intervene on the structure itself.<br>Passive retrofit is the key to interpreting sustainability in compliance with regulations, people and operations. From an economic perspective, our approach demonstrates return on investment and the cost-effectiveness of certified and guaranteed solutions.<br>To upgrade your industrial building, <a href=\"https:\/\/serisolar.com\/en\/information-quotation\/\">contact us<\/a>. After a free on-site inspection by our technicians, you will receive a customised quote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In today\u2019s scenario, the energy retrofit of industrial and commercial buildings and, in particular, industrial halls, is shifting from a value-driven choice to a necessity, if not an imperative.On one hand, European&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16336,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16306","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-blog"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/serisolar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16306","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/serisolar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/serisolar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/serisolar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/serisolar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16306"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/serisolar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16306\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16646,"href":"https:\/\/serisolar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16306\/revisions\/16646"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/serisolar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16336"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/serisolar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16306"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/serisolar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16306"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/serisolar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16306"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}