“Universal Design as an instrument for sustainable reuse of buildings”

The relationship between a building and the environment entails a set of rules that need to be respected as the precondition for the survival of the ecosystem “man-nature”. Cyclical processes of extraction, use and reintroduction of materials in the ecosystem are necessary to achieve the balance between limited resources and human needs. Historically this process was encouraged by the continuous recycling and recovery of materials and buildings. The construction of settlements is the main cause for the use of land, raw materials, energy (about 50% of materials and 40% of energy are used for and in buildings) and it produces bulky and sometimes dangerous waste (about 50% of solid waste). Building construction dramatically influences the natural environment: the speed with which humans have used the natural environment has resulted in the decrease of the capacity to absorb the waste products of the construction sector. The significant impact that the construction sector has on the global energy balance validates the increase of recovery interventions on existing buildings. These interventions, through the use of appropriate technologies and design criteria, can meet the building performance requirements. In this way, the recovery becomes “an act of culture”, an “integrated recovery”, addressing the ecological and environmental issues, the use and reuse needs as well as material and technological requirements. This paper focuses on reuse of existing buildings through design of an environment that can be used by everyone. The instrument to achieve this is the Universal Design, a concept that restores a key objective of meeting the needs of as many users as possible. It aims to achieve an objective value, not just provide a set of dimensional requirements. It induces the designers to think not just about the codes and special features for specific users, but to find solutions that meet the needs of all the users. The concept of Universal Design is a response to the complexity of the real world. It is an open system that considers a dialectic relationship between environment, a building and the users

Static Requirement and Type’s Complexity in the Diagnostics Phase

The preservation of a historical building, whatever its architectural or artistic value, is more effective when based on an in-depth understanding of the building’s development, materials and constructive techniques. In fact, the protection and conservation of heritage buildings entails varied and sometimes even alarming aspects; however, they help us to identify the commonly called “architectural emergency”. This is essentially related to the size and the great number of cases to resolve and – together - to the limited availability of usable resources and experiences. So, it’s necessary to optimize in a better way the limited finances and resources allocated to restoration efforts. Faced with a degraded monument, the renovation designer must answer three main questions: “if” to perform a restoration, “where” to perform a restoration and “how” to perform a restoration. To these questions it is possible to add another one that regarding the economic aspect: “when” to perform a restoration intervention . In order to respond adequately to these questions, it is necessary to advance “step by step”, through easily defined procedures: the identification of degradation, the determination of its causes, the assessment of residual safety and, finally, the appropariate intervention and definition of its execution method. So the preliminary action is the research of all information about the monuments; this information is required to describe the structure and all the transformations that it has suffered; in this situation, it becomes essential to know the history of the building, from its construction until the last modification that it has undergone. In the first phase of data acquisition, the direct recognition of the building characteristics and the survey of the checked alteration, should be complemented by research of design documentation and of events that have affected the structure during all its life cycle

The technical and technological knowledge as part of the restoration intervention

The intervention for the conservation of an historical building, whatever its architectural and / or artistic value, is more appropriate as much profound is the knowledge of the building. The aim of the research is to reconsider the definition of the possibility of intervention on built heritage, planning restoration interventions as a system in which the technical and technological variables do not place themselves in a dichotomous contrast between them, but in a dialectical relationship within the same design process.L'intervento per la conservazione di un edificio storico, qualunque sia il suo valore architettonico e / o artistico, è più appropriato quanto più profonda è la conoscenza dell'edificio. Scopo della ricerca è riconsiderare la definizione della possibilità di intervento sul patrimonio costruito, progettando gli interventi di restauro come un sistema in cui le variabili tecniche e tecnologiche non si pongono in un contrasto dicotomico tra loro, ma in un rapporto dialettico stesso processo di progettazione

La “Recuperación Integrada” para la conservación del patrimonio cultural

“Conservar significa utilizar”: es esta la afirmación que funda la presuposición y la premisa necesaria para una conservación contemporánea del patrimonio construido existente, y por esencia, histórico. De aquí deriva que el proyecto de recuperación, se trate de una manufactura aislada o de un tejido urbano, puede y debe ser elaborado en base a un conocimiento técnico-científico exhaustivo del objeto de intervención en su totalidad y de sus elementos constitutivos, en base al análisis de los valores que estos poseen para relacionarlos, luego, con las potencialidades que los mismos desarrollan para la satisfacción de las exigencias funcionales expresadas por los usuarios. En sustancia, entre la conservación y la defensa del patrimonio edilicio histórico y las exigencias de la fruición, no existe una contraposición irremediable. Estas últimas tienen que considerarse como elementos normales de proyecto, a la par, por ejemplo, de la estabilidad estructural; y este proyecto llega a ser más fácil si se adapta una concepción progresiva y crítica de la recuperación, entendida como acto proprio del tiempo presente y no como una acción que paraliza: la recuperación, en efecto, mira al futuro y no al pasado

The buildings for the holiday in the 20 years. The “Vittorino da Feltre” colony in Matera

In Italy, the holiday colonies are an important research field for researchers in recent years. This study - a part of a wide research that involves the whole Basilicata area - has highlighted the spread of marine and heliotherapeutic colonies in the territory. An important part of the study is also represented by the built-landscape relationship that has characterized the area. With the advent of mass tourism, these testimonies have been progressively abandoned, favouring their philological disappearance; in fact, there have been converted to education facilities as the “Vittorino da Feltre” colony in Matera. The study aims to present the first results of a wide research carried out on the holiday constructions made in Basilicata during the Fascism, in particular on the “Vittorino da Feltre” helioterapical colony in Matera; it was built in 1937 by a design of the engineer Vincenzo Corazza. It is the only helioterapical building present on Basilicata area until today, which has not been destroyed in the decades, after the collapse of the fascist regime because it was transformed and readapted in a public school. The analysis of the archival material, the study of the state of the art and the technological characterization of the building made it possible to highlight all the typicalities of this architecture

“Sustainable” energy recovery and rehabilitation. The Capuchin Convent - Altamura (Italy)

The issues related to sustainability and recovery of built heritage are related to anthropogenic transformation activities of the environment; it generates the idea of “sustainable recovery” that is a suitable combination between energy saving, environment conservation and cultural heritage restoration. The aim of the research is to address the functional/technological adaptation of historical buildings as well as the equipment adaptation, using technological interventions that can improve both the living comfort that energy efficiency of the building, respecting its historical and architectural characteristics. Nowadays, to reduce the pollutants emission, the built heritage requires a significant technological adaptation, in terms of energy and equipments; in fact the potential energy saving in the construction sector is enormous. The built heritage represents 40% of energy consumption and 36% of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe. If it considers that in Italy 80% of the building has more than 30 years, it is clear that is necessary to find solutions that enable historical centers and monuments in a position to actively contribute to climate change. The topics of adaptation and functional/technological transformation, through an adequate energy regeneration, finds an experimental application in a case study: the recovery of the Capuchin Convent in Altamura (Italy). In order to recover the whole structure, it has been designed a recovery intervention that aims to improve energy performance of building, in accordance with its characteristics and values. Analyzing the structure, it has been highlighted energy criticalities of the building. This has led to the design interventions aimed at upgrading the energy efficiency of building, using high performance materials and a suitable selection of equipments. The obtained energy performance is the one required by the current standards. This leads to reinforce the concept of “sustainable recovery” as a process of integrated conservation of the building; the process can ensure the survival of historic buildings values, designing functions that aims to meet the current living conditions and to respect the character and values of the built heritag

“The bearing walls like a “natural thermal governor”: the case of “Sassi di Matera”

The bearing walls represent one of the most ancient technological systems in the building process; in fact, the built heritage, historical or monumental, is realized within this particular kind of solution. It’s a simple structural system, but it possesses high quality technical and technological characteristics that makes it competitive; just think about the low impact that it produces on the surrounding environment, the low CO2 loading that it releases in the atmosphere during its cycle of life and, furthermore, the possibility to recycle its component. This research involved the values expresses by this particular kind of architecture and the indoor quality produced. Today, while projecting, it is very important at first place to consider the definition of the quality parameters of the indoor air and comfort requested to a dwelling place. We did this with tests “in situ” by monitoring the indoor comfort (as requests by the low UNI EN ISO 7730 1997 e UNI EN ISO 7726 2002 , directive CEE n° 106/89). This research looks at demonstrating that the bearing walls operate like a “natural governor” of the thermal and hygrometrical comfort and are able to give high quality performances, even without the support of technological systems. The characteristic performances of these spaces, that today are utilized in different ways as regards the original use, are tested and monitored. The testing activity was verified through experimental applications in the restoration of two urban buildings in the ancient “Sassi” in the town of Matera (Italy); they represent two typological structures characterized by bearing walls made of limestone blocks. The space and structures analyzed demonstrate what said before, showing how these building are suitable to the requirements of performances and quality requested for the residential environments (European Directive 2002/91/CE and Italian low D.lgs 192/05 – 311/06) even if they are built with traditional technologies

Artificial intelligence for supplier scouting: an information processing theory approach

Purpose: The objective of this paper is to study the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in supporting the supplier scouting process, considering the information and the capabilities required to do so. Design/methodology/approach: Twelve cases of IT and information providers offering AI-based scouting solutions were studied. The unit of analysis was the AI-based scouting solution, specifically the relationship between the provider and the buyer. Information processing theory (IPT) was adopted to address information processing needs (IPNs) and capabilities (IPCs). Findings: Among buyers, IPNs in supplier scouting are high. IT and information providers can meet the needs of buyers through IPCs enabled by AI-based solutions. In this way, the fit between needs and capabilities can be reached. Originality/value: The investigation of the role of AI in supplier scouting is original. The application of IPT to study the impact of AI in business processes is also novel. This paper contributes by investigating a phenomenon that is still unexplored and unconsolidated in a business context

Recovery and Enhancement of Modern Architectures: The Case of Cinema Ariston in Potenza (Italy)

The architectural heritage of the modern is in addiction with the historical and cultural heritage that are the “beauty” of Italy. The starting point of this research is to reuse an area of the historic city centre of Potenza and to recover an historical architecture abandoned: the Cinema Ariston. It is built in the 50s of 900s, and it is a significant example of modern concrete architecture in the town. The original function of cinema includes it in those buildings that have marked the history of the town and today cannot be deleted from the memories of all citizens and it should be enhanced as a central element for the renovation. An accurate metric and metric survey and a diagnostic investigation (including pachometer, sonic and ultrasonic tests) have been carried out to define the project. The results obtained were used to implement an analytical model for the study of the seismic vulnerability and to define the conservation interventions and structural rehabilitation. The recovery project includes also a new construction and proposes the recompletion of the existing, partially demolished, through new elements and modern materials. The policy adopted for conservation and the new intended use ensure a future for the Cinema Ariston and the urban space connected to it; the aim was to perpetuate social and historical memories of buildings that have no particular values for the preservation, but retain other important values to be transmit. Keyword