UNIMORE - Università degli studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia - Dipartimento di Ingegneria 'Enzo Ferrari' - EELab (Energy Efficiency Laboratory)

The Energy Efficiency Laboratory (EELab) is a specialized testing and research facility established within the Department of Engineering "Enzo Ferrari" (Dipartimento di Ingegneria "Enzo Ferrari") at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE), located at Via Vivarelli 10, 41125 Modena, Italy. Founded on the long-standing expertise of the Applied Physics (Fisica Tecnica) research group, EELab bridges fundamental academic science and applied industrial testing, offering a comprehensive portfolio of accredited thermal measurement, energy diagnostics, and materials characterization services. The laboratory is directed by Prof. Paolo Tartarini (Scientific Director) and Prof. Alberto Muscio (Organizational and Measurement Area Director), supported by a multidisciplinary team of engineers and researchers.

At the heart of EELab's technical offering is the precise measurement of key thermal transport properties of solid materials, specifically thermal conductivity (conducibilità termica) and thermal diffusivity (diffusività termica). These measurements are essential for characterizing the performance of insulation materials, building components, composite panels, ceramic tiles, polymeric foams, aerogels, and other advanced engineered materials where heat flow behavior is a primary design, regulatory, or certification parameter. The laboratory applies rigorous metrology protocols, and its ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation guarantees full traceability of measurement results to national and international standards, making its test reports internationally recognized and technically defensible.

EELab is also accredited and equipped to measure thermal emissivity (emissività termica), solar reflectance (riflettanza solare), and the Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) — a composite metric quantifying the ability of a surface to reflect solar energy and re-emit absorbed heat. These measurements are of particular importance to manufacturers and suppliers of roofing membranes, cool roof coatings, paving materials, facade claddings, and reflective pigments who need to substantiate performance claims for green building certification schemes. Specifically, EELab's accredited SRI and solar reflectance results can be used directly in LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) credit documentation and in European Ecolabel product applications, making the laboratory a recognized testing partner for the sustainable construction materials sector across Europe and beyond.

Beyond material-level measurements, EELab provides full energy diagnostics (diagnosi energetica) for both buildings and industrial processes. These assessments identify sources of thermal loss, inefficiencies in energy systems, and prioritized improvement opportunities, supporting compliance with Italian national energy performance legislation and European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) requirements. The laboratory additionally performs condensation risk calculations (calcolo rischio condensa) for building envelope assemblies, evaluating whether proposed wall, roof, or floor configurations will experience interstitial or surface condensation under defined climatic boundary conditions — a critical check for architects, product engineers, and system integrators developing high-performance building envelopes.

Infrared thermography (termografia IR) represents another core competency of EELab. Using calibrated infrared imaging equipment, the laboratory non-destructively identifies thermal bridges, insulation defects, air leakage points, moisture intrusion zones, and anomalous heat distribution patterns in building facades, mechanical systems, and industrial process equipment. Thermographic surveys conducted by EELab serve both quality-control functions during manufacturing and condition-assessment purposes for existing structures, providing clients with detailed thermal maps and quantitative analysis to support remediation decisions.

EELab further complements its physical testing services with advanced computational simulation capabilities. The laboratory resolves complex heat transfer problems both analytically and numerically, employing 2D and 3D computer simulation methods to model conductive, convective, and radiative heat transfer in novel assemblies, geometries, and material systems. These computational services allow clients to evaluate the thermal performance of prototype designs before physical samples are fabricated, accelerating development cycles and reducing experimental iteration costs. The integration of simulation with accredited physical measurement makes EELab a full-service partner across the materials development pipeline.

The laboratory holds accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 from the relevant Italian national accreditation body (Accredia), covering its listed measurement procedures. The accreditation certificate and the complete list of accredited tests are published on the laboratory's website, providing clients with transparent documentation of the scope of recognized testing. This formal quality framework ensures that EELab's measurement results meet the technical requirements of product certification bodies, regulatory agencies, green building rating systems, and international procurement specifications.

EELab serves a broad client base that includes manufacturers of insulation products, cool roofing and waterproofing systems, construction materials, advanced composites, and energy-related products, as well as engineering consultancies, construction companies, and certification bodies. Its combination of university-grade scientific expertise, ISO 17025-accredited measurement infrastructure, computational modeling capability, and deep specialization in energy efficiency and thermal physics positions it as a credible, independent, and technically rigorous testing partner for clients across Italy, Europe, and internationally who require authoritative thermal characterization data for product development, regulatory compliance, or market certification.