Bronzolo – Energy Transition Plan

Home / Energy Case Studies / Bronzolo – Energy Transition Plan The Municipality of Bronzolo represents a significant application case for local-scale energy transition planning. Within the framework of the LIFE Step-WISE project, R2M Solution supported the municipal administration in developing a Clean Energy Transition Plan, using advanced digital tools based on IES software to enable strategic, data-driven decision-making. The main objective was to assess the feasibility of a local district heating network through an integrated approach combining GIS analysis, energy modelling, and future scenario simulation. Results Role of R2M The activity led to the development of an urban energy Digital Twin of Bronzolo, capable of dynamically representing the thermal behaviour of the building stock and the local energy system. The model integrates data from multiple sources, including energy consumption, building geometries from OpenStreetMap, thermo-physical building characteristics, climate data, and information on existing infrastructure, providing a comprehensive and reliable representation of the urban context. The energy baseline identified an annual thermal demand of approximately 18,833 MWh, with only a 2% deviation from real data. Building on this baseline, several decarbonisation scenarios based on a district heating network were developed and compared. Among these, the most effective configuration proved to be a fourth-generation district heating network integrated with photovoltaic energy, enabling: – up to 70% reduction in CO₂ emissions – a significant decrease in primary energy consumption – the best long-term economic performance The model also highlighted the strategic role of the local wastewater treatment plant as a source of waste heat, which can be recovered through heat pumps to supply the network. The overall result is an integrated urban energy model capable of supporting concrete decisions for the planning of sustainable energy infrastructure. Within the Step-WISE project, R2M Solution supported the Municipality of Bronzolo in developing the energy plan through the application of a digital toolkit based on IES software. In particular, R2M Solution: – developed the urban Digital Twin using IES iCD for dynamic energy simulation at both building and district scale – applied GIS tools to map heat demand and identify priority areas – modelled and optimised the district heating network using IES iVN, evaluating different technological configurations – supported the techno-economic analysis of scenarios, providing key indicators for decision-making This work contributes to defining a replicable approach for local authorities, demonstrating how Digital Twins and advanced simulation tools can effectively guide energy planning towards more sustainable, efficient, and data-driven solutions. The activity led to the development of an urban energy Digital Twin of Bronzolo, capable of dynamically representing the thermal behaviour of the building stock and the local energy system. The model integrates data from multiple sources, including energy consumption, building geometries from OpenStreetMap, thermo-physical building characteristics, climate data, and information on existing infrastructure, providing a comprehensive and reliable representation of the urban context. The energy baseline identified an annual thermal demand of approximately 18,833 MWh, with only a 2% deviation from real data. Building on this baseline, several decarbonisation scenarios based on a district heating network were developed and compared. Among these, the most effective configuration proved to be a fourth-generation district heating network integrated with photovoltaic energy, enabling: – up to 70% reduction in CO₂ emissions – a significant decrease in primary energy consumption – the best long-term economic performance The model also highlighted the strategic role of the local wastewater treatment plant as a source of waste heat, which can be recovered through heat pumps to supply the network. The overall result is an integrated urban energy model capable of supporting concrete decisions for the planning of sustainable energy infrastructure. Within the Step-WISE project, R2M Solution supported the Municipality of Bronzolo in developing the energy plan through the application of a digital toolkit based on IES software. In particular, R2M Solution: – developed the urban Digital Twin using IES iCD for dynamic energy simulation at both building and district scale – applied GIS tools to map heat demand and identify priority areas – modelled and optimised the district heating network using IES iVN, evaluating different technological configurations – supported the techno-economic analysis of scenarios, providing key indicators for decision-making This work contributes to defining a replicable approach for local authorities, demonstrating how Digital Twins and advanced simulation tools can effectively guide energy planning towards more sustainable, efficient, and data-driven solutions. Prodotti correlati