Buildings are responsible for a large proportion of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Energy efficiency projects, in the form of building retrofits, can improve the energy performance of buildings and contribute to net zero transitions. However, the building retrofit market in Italy suffers from a lack of capacity, also due to the numerous bonuses and incentives recently introduced by the government for building retrofits. The lack of capacity can be addressed by adopting the Off-Site Construction (OSC) method, which involves the manufacture and pre-assembly of building components, elements or modules prior to their installation in their final locations, ensuring significant time and cost savings.

As the use of the OSC method for building renovation is a relatively new topic in Italy, there is a need to understand how to properly configure its supply chain in terms of i) material suppliers; ii) planning, design and manufacturing of OSC solutions; iii) installation, while also understanding the implications related to the disposal of said solutions.

The aim of the dissertation is therefore to understand how to properly configure and characterise the supply chain for off-site construction in Italy. The thesis will be based on a close interaction with Italian companies and associations will be fundamental (contacts will be provided by the supervisor in collaboration with ENEA (Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development).