This work has the purpose to analyze thermal performance of emergency shelters with the aim to develop different solutions which can improve the internal environmental conditions, in accordance to the parameters that describe thermo-hygrometric comfort, to the materials of which they are generally made of and to the climatic conditions under which they may be exposed. The object of the study was a tent equipped with a photovoltaic system produced by CHOSE (Center for Hybrid and Organic Solar Energy) at the University of Rome Tor Vergata. Through the use of the software IDA Indoor Climate and Energy 4.5, a simulation model was built based on experimental data collected from May 7 to May 15, 2013; model calibration was carried out comparing the simulation with the experimental data and the model was used for the formulation of different improvement solutions. The shelter model was analyzed in two different Italian climatic conditions using climatic data from Torino (winter) and Palermo (summer). The suggested optimization solutions were proven to be useful to improve the indoor climate and energy needs of the unit. The procedure can be applied to various climatic conditions and to different locations.