UN SISTEMA TRASLUCIDO PER IL CONTROLLO DELLA TRASPARENZA

Since its earliest times in the building sector, glass has performed a shutting function, allowing natural light through and a clear outside view. The evolution of production and assembly techniques has transformed glass from a simple transparent element into a system with high technological potential. Designs for dynamic (user-controlled) systems allow transparency level modulation and indoor light quantity transmission control. These provide greater comfort and also offer economic benefits. The first phase of this research has analysed and verified the performance of some translucid systems that are either currently on the market, or in experimental phase. Apart from guaranteeing the primary shutting function, such systems undertake the task of adapting energy fluxes, thus obtaining controllable illumination levels via the use of special filtering modes. In the second phase of the research the experimentation of a new system was undertaken. A prototype (patent of invention n. VI2005A00294) for controlling illumination levels was created. Essentially, the system aims to control illumination levels through systems that are less complex than those presently available. While considering the growing demand for lassoed surfaces in modern building construction, the new system bypasses certain problems present in commercial systems, such as high cost/benefit relationship and durability

Technological performances upgrading and rehabilitation of building heritage inside the historic centre of Palermo

The recovery of building heritage through the containment of carbon emissions is one of the strategies pursued by the city of Palermo. This design approach becomes more paradigmatic when it’s referred to sensitive and historic buildings or urban areas, having an international interest or involved in participatory projects for the Mediterranean city, well beyond the attention that citizens attest to them. We would analyse the Volta electrical Power Station, inside the harbour area and near the Castello a mare, interested by the overall rehabilitation of Palermo waterfront. This building qualifies itself, through a retrofit hypothesis proposed by the authors of this essay, as a significant example of rehabilitation design, capable to respect memory but also to propose an improvement of energy performance, through a compatible and technological implementation that use information technology in order to verify passive strategies for internal environmental comfort, an improvement of healthiness and quality of confined environments through high-tech plant engineering choices. The results of this study is a design proposal of a system of openings and evaporative cooling, contributing to lower the internal temperature during summer

CRITERI PER LA CONSERVAZIONE DELLE COPERTURE LIGNEE TRADIZIONALI DELLA SICILIA OCCIDENTALE: RECUPERO DI PRATICHE COSTRUTTIVE E MATERIALI TRADIZIONALI LOCALI

The paper presents the result of a researched that aimed to identifying typical wooden span roof systems in the ancient architecture of western Sicily. For this study, seventy construction built with various building techniques have been selected for their peculiarities. The research has paid particular attention to the components and the functional parts of the covering which have also been compared with the information acquired from written historical hand book. This comparison it was aimed at the individuation of the best way to build this covering structures and the possible precautionary measures aimed at preserving the wooden structures from the development of decay phenomena. The work has been developed trough historical investigations, from which have information about the building component were realized to verify trough modern theories and laboratory tests. It’s allows to evaluation the performances given from the wooden elements both under the original conditions that different stadiums of decay

ROCCIA E VETRO PER UNA COPERTURA TRASPARENTE

La memoria presenta uno studio condotto sulla possibilità di coprire uno spazio residuo tra il convento dei Mercedari di Modica in Sicilia e il costone roccioso adiacente. La nuova destinazione dell'edificio a Museo prevede la realizzazione di un percorso museale esterno coperto. Ciò ha fornito l’occasione per mettere alla prova le più audaci prestazioni del vetro strutturale per la realizzazione di una copertura a sbalzo. Il recente sviluppo di architetture che usano sempre più il vetro ha incentivato ricerche ed applicazioni di nuove tecnologie che hanno permesso di raggiungere elevatissimi livelli prestazionali, sia per quanto riguarda gli aspetti statici che di comfort e trasparenza: oggi è possibile combinare diversi processi di lavorazione del vetro, garantendo condizioni di sicurezza strutturale e regolando anche le proprietà di trasmissione delle radiazioni luminose. La particolare occasione di coprire il passaggio dei visitatori dagli agenti atmosferici e al contempo di lasciare integro il rapporto visivo tra la roccia viva e il profilo della facciata ha orientato la scelta progettuale su una copertura che fosse quanto meno invasiva possibile. Le lastre di vetro sono ammorsate al costone roccioso attraverso piastre in acciaio incastrate nella roccia, da questa si distaccano fino ai bordi costruiti della copertura del museo apparendo incastrate direttamente nella roccia senza elementi di supporto. The space back of the Mercedari Convent and the rock cliff, adapted to museum path, will be covered with a glass structure that gives the impression to directly come straight from the rock. The solution proposed favors both the shape of the rock and the different altimetrically trend of the building. The structure realized with stiffen and laminated glass, reaches a maximum overhang of 4.50 meters and it is made with big tile U-shaped with different dimensions

Evaluation of the Thermodynamic Performance of the Traditional Passive Systems

The need to reduce urban consumption of energy in the buildings, one of the major energy waster resulting in emission of CO2, is pushing research in the field of building design to the appreciation of passive air-conditioning systems that can be integrated with conventional systems and determine, therefore, the so-called hybrid systems. Historically this passive systems were developed in the Mediterranean and in the Middle East area. Actually the research activity has been focused on this problem, through an approach that involves the application of design strategies and the development of computational tools and control systems. The synergy between current scientific knowledge, advanced manufacturing and information technology allows to conceive hybrid systems. Through the use of computer programs CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamic) have been tested different conditions iterating the process until it gets to the structure that gives the greatest contribution for the environmental comfort. The paper shows the results of research developed to the Dipartimento di Architettura of the Università di Palermo, that develops a case study where is analyzed the effect of the natural ventilation in indoor comfort

Pioggia di Libri

La manifestazione “Pioggia di Libri” nasce da un’idea di Andrea Sciascia. L’obiettivo è quello di divulgare le attività didattiche e di ricerca condotte dai docenti del Dipartimento di Architettura alla comunità scientifica universitaria e non solo, in modo da attivare una virtuosa circolazione di informazioni e idee. Gli attori principali sono gli studenti che frequentano i Corsi di Laurea del Dipartimento e i Dottorandi. La formula è semplice ma efficace: come in una pièce teatrale, la presentazione di uno o più libri avviene attraverso un relatore senjor (professore UNIPA o esperto esterno) che inquadra le problematiche del libro scelto ed un giovane discussant (dottorando o giovane ricercatore) che pone domande e questioni all’autore. Questa modalità permette di coinvolgere nella discussione gli studenti che hanno così l’opportunità di assistere ad un dibattito multidisciplinare su tematiche trasversali al loro percorso di studi. Tale modalità interattiva della presentazione del libro, attuata attraverso l’intermediazione di docenti, studenti e giovani ricercatori che presentano secondo un loro particolare punto di vista alcuni aspetti specifici dei libri proposti, diviene una formula innovativa nella lettura di testi altrimenti destinati a rimanere confinati negli scaffali delle biblioteche. Il volume raccoglie gli esiti delle manifestazioni svolte dal 2018 al 2021, registrando anche le diverse forme di comunicazione attuate per superare i limiti del periodo pandemico. Le recensioni raccolte, testimonianza della multidisciplinarietà delle tematiche affrontate, sono state raccolte in tre sezioni che fanno riferimento ai diversi punti di vista con cui sono stati messi in evidenza i temi propri dell’architettura. Il libro contiene, anche, le locandine che introducono il tema delle diverse comunicazioni con una grafica, curata dal designer Cinzia Ferrara, capace di sintetizzare l’essenza dei diversi eventi attraverso l’uso mirato di colori e di immagini.The event “Pioggia di Libri” grew out of an idea of Andrea Sciascia. The aim is to promoting educational and research activities carried out by professors of the Architecture Department to the scientific community and not only, in order to activate a virtuous flow of informations and ideas. The main actors are students attending Degree Courses of the Department and Doctoral students. The formula is simple but effective: as in a theatrical piece, the launch of the book takes place with a senior speaker (an UNIPA Professor or an outside expert) who contextualises the problems relating the chosen book and a discussant young (a doctoral student or a research student) who asks questions and issues to the author. This mode allows to involve in the discussion students that, in this way, have the opportunity to attend a multidisciplinary debate on transversal issues apply to their study course. This interative mode of book launch, implemented through intermediation of professors, students and young researchers that present a particular point of view releated to some specific aspects of submitted books, becomes an innovative formula of reading texts. That would otherwise remain confined on the shelves of the libraries. The volume includes the results of demonstrations from 2018 to 2021, recording also different forms of communication for overcoming the current pandemic situation. The collected reviews, testimony of multidisciplinary issues, have been collected in three sections that refers to different points of view that highlight three main architectural themes. The book includes also posters that introduce the theme of different communications with a graphic, edited by Cinzia Ferrara, capable of synthesize the absence of several events through a focused use of colors and images

Materiali e tecniche innovative per l’edilizia sostenibile

Climate change and the need to reduce energy consumption in buildings are key topics in the political, scientific, economic and cultural debate. Since the academic year, 2010-2011, we wanted to make a debate and also our contribution with the first edition of the Master in Materials and Innovative Techniques for Sustainable Construction (MeTIES) University of Palermo together with the University Consortium for the University of Western Sicily and the Mediterranean Basin (UNISOM). The main objective of this Master is to form a professional generation who knows how to master new technologies and to rethink the way to "build". All the students of the master, in different editions, have had the opportunity to improve skills acquired during the course in workplace. The aim was to contribute to the debate on possible ways to pursue sustainable development through the training of "operators" who have the ability to identify, develop and propose possible and concrete solutions for the energy efficiency of buildings. The book contains some solutions to the needs of a sector that will be increasingly at the center of the economic and political choices of the coming decades

GLASS IN THE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION:BEYOND THE TRASPARENCY

In the last decades, the evolution of the methodology of the glass manufacturing processes has created the opportunity to craft external frames that include integrated multifunctional elements which enable the user to fully control different functions. The evolution of glass - from being a basic see-through material to becoming a system with high-tech potentiality - has given the designer the opportunity to satisfy different needs. These can be fulfilled without altering the structure of the material and without affecting its relation with the frame it is built for. The aim of the research was the analysis, classification and verification of the performance of the translucent products currently available in the marketplace and of the ones still at an experimental stage. As well as allowing their main function - the transmission of natural light and vision. These products are designed to control energy flows in order to manage the level of illumination and thermal insulation. The use of dedicated filtering methodologies, decreases and/or modifies the effect of the solar energy. Firstly, the performance and cost of the different translucent products were compared in order to set the standard. Afterwards, new avenues were investigated in order to elucidate some issues affecting the products currently on the market, including the cost/benefit ratio which is currently not advantageous

ACTIVE HOUSE PROTOCOL APPLICATION IN MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE An energy-efficient kindergarten in Coppito

The E.U. aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. This article aims to fill the gap in the selection of solutions to improve living conditions in territorial assets (SDG n.11) to achieve the expected energy performance (SDG n.7) and disseminate the adoption of new approaches and measures for sustainable design (SDG n.13). These objectives were met through the application of a reverse engineering process to the Ape Tau kindergarten in L'Aquila, Coppito area, after the 2009 earthquake. The building's design solutions were investigated according to quantitative levels suggested by the holistic approach of the Active House protocol, which provides the methodology to verify the building's performance according to comfort, energy and environmental criteria. The results highlight the high performance of the building constructed with multilayer dry technology and the method's effectiveness based on process-oriented analysis to user, environment and territory. The article proposes an innovative paradigm for building requalification replicable in numerous contexts and different climatic conditions

ACTIVE HOUSE PROTOCOL APPLICATION IN MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE : an energy-efficient kindergarden in Coppito

La U.E. intende raggiungere la neutralità climatica entro il 2050. Questo articolo mira a colmare il divario nella scelta di soluzioni migliorative delle condizioni di vita negli assetti territoriali (SDG n.11) per il raggiungimento delle prestazioni energetiche attese (SDG n.7) e diffondere l’adozione di nuovi approcci e misure per la progettazione sostenibile (SDG n.13). Tali obiettivi sono stati conseguiti mediante l’applicazione di un processo di reverse engineering all’asilo Ape Tau, L’Aquila, località Coppito, dopo il sisma del 2009. Le soluzioni progettuali impiegate nell’edificio sono state analizzate secondo livelli quantitativi suggeriti dall’approccio olistico del protocollo Active House, che fornisce la metodologia per verificare le prestazioni dell’edificio secondo criteri di comfort, energia e ambiente. I risultati evidenziano elevate prestazioni dell’edificio costruito con tecnologia stratificata a secco e l’efficacia del metodo basato su analisi process- oriented a utente, ambiente e territorio. L’articolo propone un paradigma innovativo per la riqualificazione degli edifici, replicabile in numerosi contesti e differenti condizioni climaticheThe E.U. aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. This article aims to fill the gap in the selection of solutions to improve living conditions in territorial assets (SDG n.11) to achieve the expected energy performance (SDG n.7) and disseminate the adoption of new approaches and measures for sustainable design (SDG n.13). These objectives were met through the application of a reverse engineering process to the Ape Tau kindergarten in L'Aquila, Coppito area, after the 2009 earthquake. The building's design solutions were investigated according to quantitative levels suggested by the holistic approach of the Active House protocol, which provides the methodology to verify the building's performance according to comfort, energy and environmental criteria. The results highlight the high performance of the building constructed with multilayer dry technology and the method's effectiveness based on process-oriented analysis to user, environment and territory. The article proposes an innovative paradigm for building requalification replicable in numerous contexts and different climatic conditions