Renewable energy sources technologies in the built environment: a new operating scenery in Italy

The European 2020 goals have led to an updating of Italian national and regional rules, aimed to speed up the process of development of renewable energy source technologies in the whole country. The new rules have been based on some strategic action lines, such as the regional burden sharing of national 2020 goals, the promotion of economic and/or fiscal incentives, the simplification of the procedures for the works permission, etc.. A leading role in energy strategies has been assigned to the micro-production of energy from renewable sources. This involves the issue of the R.E.S. technologies integration in built environment, referring to the Italian territory, which is characterized by a widespread presence of ancient towns and landscapes with a great cultural and environmental importance. The paper presents some of the outcomes of a national funded research on the renewable energy sources technologies integration into “sensible” built environments. The new model of process, as it comes from the new national and regional procedural guide lines and from other current regulations, is described and analyzed. Then, the main theoretical and practical problems are put in evidence, regarding both the latent conflict between energy saving and cultural elements preservation goals; and the change of the roles and responsibilities of the different stakeholders involved in the process (people, local administrators, “national trust” bodies, building owners, designers, producers). Finally, it brings out the need to offset the process of deregulation of the minor works in "sensitive" areas by means of an extensive range of strategies and actions, aimed to increase the stakeholders' education, involving and empowerment; in order to effectively pursue the maximum exploitation of the potential renewable energy, ensuring at the same time the protection of the areas of intervention

Ferromagnetic Ligand Holes in Cobalt Perovskite Electrocatalysts as Essential Factor for High Activity Towards Oxygen Evolution

The definition of the interplay between chemical composition, electro-magnetic configuration and catalytic activity requires a rational study of the orbital physics behind active materials. Apart from Coulomb forces, quantum spin exchange interactions (QSEI) are part of the potentials that differentiate the activity of magnetic oxides, strongly correlated electrocatalysts, in electron transfer reactions. Ferromagnetic (FM) cobalt oxides can show low overpotentials for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the La1XSrXCoO3d (0 r X r 1) family of perovskites is good ground to gain understanding of the electronic interactions in strongly correlated catalysts. In this case, Sr-doping raises the OER activity and the conductivity and increases FM spin moments. The efficiency of electrocatalysts based on Earth-abundant 3d-transition metals correlates with the interrelated factors: mild-bonding energies, the reduction of the electronic repulsions because of the QSEI in the open-shells, and enhanced spin delocalization in FM ordering. The reason for the outstanding OER activity of SrCoO3d is the accumulation of FM holes in the 3d–2p bonds, including the ligand orbitals, thus facilitating spinselected charge transport and production of triplet O2 moieties from the oxidation of diamagnetic precursors. Spin-polarized oxygen atoms in the lattice can participate in O–O coupling and release of O2 in a Mars–Van Krevelen mechanistic fashion. We show that the stabilizing FM QSEI decrease the adsorption and activation energies during oxygen evolution and spin-dependent potentials are one of the factors that govern the catalytic activity of magnetic compositions: spintro-catalysis

Memorie di guerra. Verso la riapertura del Bunker della Prefettura e della Torre delle Sirene di Milano

L’articolo tratta del percorso avviato da Città Metropolitana di Milano, in sinergia con il Politecnico di Milano, per restituire alla cittadinanza la Torre delle Sirene – sede della centrale di comando dell’allarme antiaereo della città di Milano – e il Bunker della Prefettura. Si tratta di due manufatti, comunicanti tra loro, particolarmente significativi per il ricordo della seconda guerra mondiale e, soprattutto, della vita quotidiana dei civili sotto assedio, condizione che ancora oggi accomuna numerose popolazioni nel mondo. Entrambi gli edifici sono in stato di abbandono e degrado da diversi anni, ma permangono ancora diverse tracce del passato utilizzo. Il percorso di riapertura appare oggi complesso, sia per i caratteri tecno-tipologici e localizzativi, che per la mancanza di risorse dedicate. L’obiettivo è la trasformazione dell’ex-centro nevralgico del sistema milanese di allerta antiaerea, in epicentro di un nuovo sistema di allerta collettivo sul tema della guerra, che operi proprio attraverso la memoria degli eventi passati. Inoltre, questo potrebbe divenire il polo del più ampio e diffuso sistema del patrimonio dei rifugi cittadini: un network di beni tangibili e intangibili, organizzati secondo una logica comune di valorizzazione della memoria, per far crescere la cultura della pace e realizzare un itinerario culturale nella città fondato sui valori della Storia.The paper concerns the project, promoted by Metropolitan city and Polytechnic university of Milan, of returning to public use Torre delle Sirene – seat of the Milan air-raid alert control unit – and Bunker della Prefettura. Two buildings connected to each other and very significant as memories of the Second World War and, most of all, of the ordinary life of civilian people under siege, a condition still regarding so many people around the world at present. Both the buildings have been neglected and deteriorated since a few years, but they still preserve traces of the past use. The reopening project is difficult due both to the typological and location characters of the buildings and to the lack of available financial resources. The objective of the project is to transform the former central point of the air-raid defence system into the epicentre of a new collective alert system on the topic of war, operating through memories of the past. Moreover, this could become the centre of a wider and widespread heritage system of local air-raid shelters: a network of material and immaterial goods organized by the common logic of enhancing memory, in order to strengthen the culture of peace and realize in the city a cultural itinerary based on historical values

Review on Magnetism in Catalysis: From Theory to PEMFC Applications of 3d Metal Pt-Based Alloys

The relationship between magnetism and catalysis has been an important topic since the mid-20th century. At present time, the scientific community is well aware that a full comprehension of this relationship is required to face modern challenges, such as the need for clean energy technology. The successful use of (para-)magnetic materials has already been corroborated in catalytic processes, such as hydrogenation, Fenton reaction and ammonia synthesis. These catalysts typically contain transition metals from the first to the third row and are affected by the presence of an external magnetic field. Nowadays, it appears that the most promising approach to reach the goal of a more sustainable future is via ferromagnetic conducting catalysts containing open-shell metals (i.e., Fe, Co and Ni) with extra stabilization coming from the presence of an external magnetic field. However, understanding how intrinsic and extrinsic magnetic features are related to catalysis is still a complex task, especially when catalytic performances are improved by these magnetic phenomena. In the present review, we introduce the relationship between magnetism and catalysis and outline its importance in the production of clean energy, by describing the representative case of 3d metal Pt-based alloys, which are extensively investigated and exploited in PEM fuel cells

The dimension of knowledge on built environment interventions. The evolution of performance analysis models between theories and practice

This paper deals with the building performance evaluation, as a methodological approach to the analysis of existing building systems, aimed at supporting the decision-making process for rehabilitation and / or adaptive reuse. It presents a critical review of national and international studies and enlightens the different conditions and ways of application, in the case of empty buildings compared to those in use. In conclusion, it introduces some limits of such methodologies with respect to appropriate knowledge objectives when applied to buildings with particular or magnificent characters, as well as some possible research lines to be explored so to overcome them

Rinnovare le scuole dall'interno. Scenari e strategie di rinnovamento per le infrastrutture scolastiche

Rinnovare le scuole dall’interno è l’esito di un percorso di ricerca condiviso tra discipline dell’architettura e della pedagogia, fondato sul riconoscimento del ruolo educativo degli ambienti scolastici e focalizzato sul rinnovamento delle infrastrutture scolastiche esistenti. Senza negare i molteplici e già noti problemi di degrado e sicurezza, nel volume si lascia spazio e visibilità alle “altre” condizioni di inadeguatezza, che si riflettono sull’agire quotidiano; così come alle enormi risorse in termini di idee, energie, ecc. che si possono recuperare nelle comunità scolastiche, per generare percorsi di rinnovamento delle scuole. e per superare i vincoli posti dalle condizioni concrete, all’interno delle quali i processi di intervento si sviluppano. Il volume è costituito di tre parti: nella prima si delineano gli scenari di riferimento, dalle politiche e dai processi di intervento in atto sulle infrastrutture scolastiche in Italia ed Europa, all’evoluzione del dibattito sul rapporto tra didattica e spazi; nella seconda si dà voce alle diverse componenti delle comunità scolastiche, per poi intrecciare l'apporto di studenti e insegnanti con quanto emerge da osservazioni condotte sul campo e delineare orientarsi verso nuove prospettive di intervento; la terza parte è orientata a supportare i processi di miglioramento delle scuole, attraverso contributi metodologici e operativi

Temi emergenti e nuove prospettive di intervento sulle scuole

Dalla lettura trasversale di quanto emerso dalle voci di studenti, insegnanti e dirigenti, dalle osservazioni sviluppate nei sopralluoghi e dall’analisi delle pratiche delle comunità, emergono alcuni ambiti di critici, che non possono essere tralasciati nei futuri processi di rinnovo delle infrastrutture scolastiche esistenti. La scelta dei temi trattati nel capitolo è stata orientata a evidenziare in particolare quell’insieme di condizioni che maggiormente interagiscono con il benessere degli studenti e degli insegnanti. I problemi rilevati vengono, quindi, reinterpretati secondo prospettive prevalentemente tecnico-progettuali e organizzativoprocedurali

Magnetism and Heterogeneous Catalysis: In Depth on the Quantum Spin-Exchange Interactions in Pt3M (M = V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Y)(111) Alloys

Bimetallic Pt-based alloys have drawn considerable attention in the last decades as catalysts in proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) because they closely fulfill the two major requirements of high performance and good stability under operating conditions. Pt3Fe, Pt3Co, and Pt3Ni stand out as major candidates, given their good activity toward the challenging oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The common feature across catalysts based on 3d-transition metals and their alloys is magnetism. Ferromagnetic spin-electron interactions, quantum spin-exchange interactions (QSEIs), are one of the most important energetic contributions in allowing milder chemisorption of reactants onto magnetic catalysts, in addition to spin-selective electron transport. The understanding of the role played by QSEIs in the properties of magnetic 3d-metal-based alloys is important to design and develop novel and effective electrocatalysts based on abundant and cheap metals. We present a detailed theoretical study (via density functional theory) on the most experimentally explored bimetallic alloys Pt3M (M = V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Y)(111). The investigation starts with a thorough structural study on the composition of the layers, followed by a comprehensive physicochemical description of their resistance toward segregation and their chemisorption capabilities toward hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Our study demonstrates that Pt3Fe(111), Pt3Co(111), and Pt3Ni(111) possess the same preferential multilayered structural organization, known for exhibiting specific magnetic properties. The specific role of QSEIs in their catalytic behavior is justified via comparison between spin-polarized and non-spin-polarized calculations

Extra virgin olive oil and cardiovascular diseases: benefits for human health

The cardioprotective properties of Mediterranean Diet were demonstrated for the first time from the Seven Country Study. In the last few decades, numerous epidemiological studies, as well as intervention trial, confirmed this observation, pointing out the close relationship between the Mediterranean diet and cardiovascular diseases. In this context, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), the most representative component of this diet, seems to be relevant in lowering the incidence of cardiovascular events, including myocardial infarction and stroke. From a chemical point of view, 98-99% of the total weight of EVOO is represented by fatty acids, especially monounsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid. Tocopherols, polyphenols and other minor constituents represent the remaining 1-2%. All these components may potentially contribute to "health maintenance" with their beneficial effects by EVOOO

TURNING EMPTY OFFICE BUILDINGS INTO SUSTAINABLE SOCIAL HOUSING

This paper deals with the issue of the increasing presence of empty office buildings. Indeed, compared to the industrial buildings, that have been turned into public services (libraries, museums, etc.), into luxurious homes, etc. (thanks to their architectural character and / or their identity value for local communities), the reuse of offices seems to be quite a different and less attractive issue for designers, and of little interest to developers. This may depend on their more recent age and lack of any architectural or identity significance, as well as on their out of date systems and low energy performance. Nevertheless, they are preserved, even if vacant, because of their value as part of the property assets of the owners, as well as the high demolition costs. Furthermore, as most of empty buildings, they are easily occupied by squatters, who cause degradation and social problems, with companies forced to prevent these situations by hiring expensive security services. ENPAM R.E., the real estate management company of the national pension and social security institute for doctors and dentists, has a number of these buildings, which are no longer required for rent. This led them to promote a collaboration with Politecnico di Milano, aimed at verifying the possibility that different office building types be easily and properly adapted for residential purposes (like dwellings, hostels, temporary residences, etc.), by the development of educational projects. The idea of turning empty offices into homes to rent comes from a comparison between the large availability of the former and the lack of the latter. Thus, this strategy could become a way for meeting the great need for social housing (even for emergencies) without using any more land, but rather preserving a part of energy and row materials already embodied in the existing building structures. In addition, the large number and rather small size of such situations seems to guarantee limited local problems and a large spread of urban rehabilitation opportunities in the future. By the empirical activity on selected case studies, typological models and technological solutions for the adaptive reuse and refurbishment have been outlined. These models and solutions are expected to help the evaluation of the opportunities for reusing different types of buildings, as well as the promotion of high environmental sustainability goals, through works of transformation of building systems and equipment