This research intends to verify the thermal performance of innovative lightweight building envelope systems using dry construction techniques that were originally developed in continental climates (e.g. Central Europe), and to test their potential application in office buildings at middle latitudes (e.g. Southern Europe), using thermodynamic simulations. Their energy performance in use (annual, winter and summer) was evaluated in three Italian climate zones and possible problems were identified. As a result a proposal for improving the analyzed building envelope was developed, energy performance in use of the optimized building envelope was verified and design criteria for the applications in building at middle latitude were derived.