ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GEOMATICS AND CONSERVATION: LESSONS LEARNED FROM INTEGRATED RESTORATION LABORATORIES

The paper aims at investigating results, research perspectives, and limitations emerging from the synergy between geomatics and conservation. Recent didactic experiences carried out in restoration laboratories at Politecnico di Milano are illustrated and discussed. The authors tested innovative techniques for surveying with particular attention to the conservation problem. The aim was to exploit novel 360° virtual/immersive environments able to collect and manage data traditionally useful for conservation projects such as thematic maps of historical building techniques, construction technologies, deterioration pathologies, and data from diagnostics. Results are presented for two case studies completely different in terms of shape, pathologies, and reuse: the Albergo Diurno di Porta Venezia in Piazza Oberdan, and the Church of San Vittore and the Forty Martyrs (both in Milan). The work carried out with students allowed one to evaluate the pros and cons of a novel 360° immersive solution. The outcomes suggest other possible uses in related activities. The last part of the paper reconsiders the proposed “renewed” relationship between geomatics and restoration. Starting from the basic requirements of existing regulations, the paper explores the research fields and practical applications that could benefit from an intersection of geomatics and restoration

INCLUSIVE CULTURAL HERITAGE SITES: ICT AS A TOOL TO SUPPORT THE DESIGN PROCESS AND SHARE KNOWLEDGE

Within the European strategies for a sustainable development, the role of cultural heritage as an economic, environmental and social driver has become increasingly significant. As an asset in people’s lives, it’s necessary to assure anyone the opportunity to access it. For this reason, urban transformation policies must guarantee the proper compromise between the requirements of conservation and physical/cognitive accessibility. This entails a clear design complexity, which however cannot justify the lack of intervention, but must propose new governance models for an inclusive design process.In a broader research framework, the implementation of ICT has turned out to be a solution that can address some issues in enhancing the level of inclusion in cultural heritage sites. Particularly, the conception of an interactive map has seemed the proper perspective of producing a feasible operative tool. The first aim is linked to the necessity of having an information system thank to which everyone, particularly users with special needs, could be able to organize their movements and be aware of the proposed services and fulfilled inclusive strategies. The second target is connected to the management of the projects related to the development of inclusion, therefore it is addressed to municipal administrators and other key actors involved in the governance of cultural heritage.Finally, the discussion about the main objectives and features of an interactive map wants to highlight the role that ICT can assume within an inclusive design approach, for which is needed a tool able to support the intervention on the physical environment and offer further essential services.</p

built cultural heritage and energy efficiency the sicily case pros and cons of an innovative experience

The paper aims to present a study carried out within the Regional Operational Program - European Regional Development Fund 2014/2020 financing project for the efficiency improvement of 106 public heritage, owned by the Sicily Region. 38 case studies of this stock have been selected, having different uses (museum, library, office, etc.), typology and construction period, shifting from XI to XX century buildings. The sample heterogeneity gives in fact a large-scale overview on the Mediterranean heritage, allowing to assess the efficacy of energy policies (at Regional level) and to suggest feasible retrofit solutions for historic public buildings. Weak and strength points of each case are highlighted as from both an energy audit (based on bills and simulated energy performance data) and an on-field survey in a comparison. The inclusion of stakeholders' interviews in the walk-through investigation has clarified the efficacy of building and plants management. Finally, as tangible results, it is suggested to consider retrofit low-impact interventions accordingly to the building microclimate, as well as objects and users' needs, as a win-win strategy

REVEALING THE EVERYDAY LANDSCAPE: INNOVATIVE SYSTEMS FOR HERITAGE EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS. THE SCAR (SCHOOL ACTIVATES RESOURCES) PROJECT

The Italian Plan for Cultural Heritage Education identifies in the training related to cultural heritage the possibility of contributing to the cultural and social improvement of the life of every person, also developing, through a conscious use, the sense of belonging to one or more cultures and territory.Given these potentialities, the document reveals a lack of responses to training needs and underlines how the launch of educational courses that put school and university in synergy in the places of culture are among the priorities to be achieved in the period 2016-2018. The Italian Digital School Plan also stresses the importance of a renewed educational approach and effort to promote heritage and provides that all students are offered courses on the digital management of Cultural Heritage. The interest in the heritage, after all, is identified by European policies as part of the right of every citizen to freely participate in cultural life.The ScAR (School Activates Resources) project, aims to respond to these requests with an experimental and methodologically innovative action, set in a context rich in critical issues and on a fragile and ScARcely recognized heritage such as that of a part of the Milanese urban periphery. The aim of the project is to promote the shared knowledge of the latent urban patrimony and increase, especially in young people, the sense of belonging to the neighbourhoods, the sense of active citizenship and the responsibility in the common good’s care. Another priority is to provide schools with tools for educational innovation, inclusion, and technological update, to limit early school leaving.</p

Conservation-compatible retrofit solutions in historic buildings: An integrated approach

Historic, listed, or unlisted, buildings account for 30% of the European building stock. Since they are complex systems of cultural, architectural, and identity value, they need particular attention to ensure that they are preserved, used, and managed over time in a sustainable way. This implies a demand for retrofit solutions able to improve indoor thermal conditions while reducing the use of energy sources and preserving the heritage significance. Often, however, the choice and implementation of retrofit solutions in historic buildings is limited by socio-technical barriers (regulations, lack of knowledge on the hygrothermal behaviour of built heritage, economic viability, etc.). This paper presents the approach devised in the IEA-SHC Task 59 project (Renovating Historic Buildings Towards Zero Energy) to support decision makers in selecting retrofit solutions, in accordance with the provision of the EN 16883:2017 standard. In particular, the method followed by the project partners to gather and assess compatible solutions for historic buildings retrofitting is presented. It focuses on best practices for walls, windows, HVAC systems, and solar technologies. This work demonstrates that well-balanced retrofit solutions can exist and can be evaluated case-by-case through detailed assessment criteria. As a main result, the paper encourages decision makers to opt for tailored energy retrofit to solve the conflict between conservation and energy performance requirements

High-performance materials and technological solutions to improve the thermal performance of historic buildings

The aim of the paper is to outline the state-of-the-art in the field of historic buildings' energy retrofit through high-performance materials or innovative solutions. The research question is to understand if the latter can be positively applied to historic building in terms of compatibility and can contribute to create tailor-made solutions, avoiding or mitigating critical issues from the preservation point of view. This required the evaluation of many publications including papers, handbooks, booklets, and guidance as well as research reports. The literature review was then summarized in two research fields for each building element: retrofit solutions and high-performance materials and solutions applied to historic buildings. The technical properties of these highly efficient materials and their possible uses in heritage buildings are shown through the comparison and the data analysis of some case studies. Starting from a general reasoning on retrofit solutions and the interactions between the various building components within a whole building energy retrofit project, the paper assesses how high-performance materials are or are not widespread, which kind of data is available and what is still missing