Antonella Trombadore

Green Design for a Smart Island: Green Infrastructure and Architectural Solutions for Ecotourism in Mediterranean Areas

The Mediterranean islands are characterized by ecosystems and environmental heritage of great value. Human experience is one of the most critical barometers of the success of a built environment. In a perspective of sustainable development, it becomes necessary to stimulate the regenerative capacity of territories and natural resources. The six pilot projects have been developed for a small island in Sardinia, Italy. The island has hosted several prison complexes in the past two centuries, now converted into a national park; since its creation as a national park, its architectural and urban patrimony has been completely abandoned. Its few built-up areas and/or urban developments do have an enormous potential, but past administrations failed in the attempt to offer a commercially attractive model.

Design of Seaside Buildings in China

Only in recent time, China discovered the great potential of coastal cities as tourist attraction, both from inland and from abroad. The projects are examples of a study of Green Eco Solar Buildings and Seaside Building Project, developed within the ABITA Research Centre of the University of Florence, for this area, developed together with the De Feng Lida Group from Beijing, trying to harmonize traditional Chinese approach with sustainable technologies and renewable energy integration in building. The energy efficiency standards applied in all the Green Eco Solar Buildings will make it possible to realize nearly zero-energy building performance.

Multidisciplinary Energy-Efficiency Think Tank for Supporting a Multilevel Governance Model in Energy Policies and Measures: MEETHINK Energy Project: Topic-6

MEETHINK Energy is a European research project headed by the Tuscany Region under the Horizon 2020 call for proposals involving 30 municipalities in 6 European countries (Albania, Greece, Italy, Serbia, Slovenia and Spain). The project will stimulate a multilevel governance model by joining regional and local authorities and involving policymakers, technicians and stakeholders in a bottom-up integrated approach. The core of the project focuses on the definition of a common protocol and on the identification of common criteria and energy-efficiency performance indicators, as well as on a pilot phase during which the multilevel governance model will be tested in collaboration with small and medium-sized city partners. Several potential scenarios will be evaluated, and the multilevel governance model will make it possible to improve the quality and effectiveness of energy policies and measures as well as establish or strengthen connections among different key actors and levels of government. A common information and communications technology (ICT) platform, supported by a peer-to-peer methodology, will be structured with three different access levels (free access, policymakers, technicians) and will include a data-sharing tool, open data repositories, a decision support system and a communication Web site. This platform will support public authorities in monitoring and evaluating the current situation with the aim of identifying its strengths, weaknesses and opportunities in order to determine the most suitable policies and measures. The platform will allow for the involvement of public/private stakeholders and promote a multidisciplinary think tank network across the European Union. With a focus on three thematic priority areas (energy efficiency in buildings and districts, in particular public buildings; renewable energy sources and distributed energy generation; and energy in urban mobility), the aim of the project will be achieved by sharing activities through large-scale networking, peer-to-peer learning and best practices, assessing the training gaps and needs of the participating municipalities in reference to energy-efficiency planning and implementation and developing a detailed capacity building strategy for public authorities at different levels of government.

Projects for A Sustainable City: Environmental and Energetic Retrofit of “Area Savonarola” in Padova: a Case Study

Publisher Summary This chapter is a study of the problems related to the Programs of Urban Retrofit in Padova named Contract of Area Savonarola. This urban project is an experimental model of environmental and building recovery with ecology and environmental principles. A case study is presented in the chapter, where a series of energetic and environmental compatible actions has been suggested. It includes the building retrofit: use of passive solar system, natural ventilation, and use of daylight. The project foresee the construction of a cover glazed, a big winter garden that will act as an internal space for the children and the elderly, a green space with trees and attractive zones for all surrounding buildings. The case study offer both the opportunity of studying the integration between traditional systems and the renewable energetic sources according to the characteristics of the building and arise an occasion to determine a reliable system to preserve the urban area.