## 3 Materials and Methods  
### The Monitoring Results in the Spring and Summer Cases  
Based on the sensor system installed, as detailed in Section 3.2 of this research study, continuous monitoring was conducted throughout the spring and summer periods--identified as the most critical seasons for poultry tunnels geographically located in this area. By recording data at 15 min intervals, it was possible to assess the actual trends of air temperature, relative humidity, and solar radiation impacting the building envelope of the poultry tunnels (both at the roof and floor levels), as well as wind speed.  
These data are graphically represented in Figures 11-15.  
Figure 11: Environmental monitoring results: air temperature values recorded on-site every 15 min between 21 March 2024 and 21 September 2024—© authors.  
Figure 10: Comparison of monthly energy consumption in the baseline scenario (SDF) and the retrofit scenario (RIQ)—© authors.  
The collected data, as highlighted in the aforementioned graphs, effectively represent the state of the art concerning the climatic conditions in which the poultry tunnels are located. This dataset itself constitutes an initial and original research output, directly derived from the environmental monitoring results. The data unequivocally reveal the critical trends of the summer period, which significantly affect the thermal and aerodynamic environment of the poultry tunnels.  
Air temperature (Figure 11), in particular, follows the expected seasonal trend, remaining within the average range for the geographic area of reference. However, the peak values recorded in summer indicate potential criticalities for animal welfare. This concern is further compounded by variations in relative humidity (Figure 12), which may pose risks of thermal stress. These findings highlight the need to consider alternative envelope solutions beyond the commercially standardized ones, taking into account local specificities.  
Similarly, solar radiation appears to confirm the hypothesis of significant thermal loads on the structure, particularly on the most exposed roof surfaces (Figures 13 and 14). This finding reinforces the feasibility of photovoltaic technology implementation within a potential operational scenario aimed at retrofitting livestock structures. While temperature-related criticalities may find some mitigation through the observed variations in ventilation (Figure 15), the intensity of solar radiation further substantiates and justifies the proposed operational scenarios for analysis. It is important to highlight, from the outset, that in the construction of a thermal model and for an accurate assessment of potential energy improvement scenarios, the contribution of rooftop photovoltaic panel installation to the  
Figure 14: Environmental monitoring results: recorded on-site floor heat flux values every 15 min between 21 March 2024 and 21 September 2024—\(\copyright\) authors.  
Figure 13: Environmental monitoring results: thermal flux values on the roof recorded on-site every 15 min between 21 March 2024 and 21 September 2024—\(\copyright\) authors.  
Figure 15: Environmental monitoring results: on-site wind speed values recorded every 15 min between 21 March 2024 and 21 September 2024—\(\copyright\) authors.  
actual reduction in thermal load must also be considered. The heat flux recorded and shown in Figure 13 would, in fact, be significantly different if solar radiation were partially absorbed by an additional element such as the PV system itself. The resulting shading effect on the structure, albeit partial, can lead to a reduction in the energy demand for ventilation and indoor cooling.  
Such analyses, as previously mentioned, should be conducted using the LCA approach to define the long-term management strategies for the poultry tunnels throughout their entire life cycle.