The course aims at providing basic knowledge of sustainable building design, starting with an explanation of the concept of sustainability and continuing with a definition of the main active and passive strategies to be used in the design of energy-efficient and environment-friendly buildings, related technological details, relevant regulations, energy and environmental certification protocols, and the building system.
- Alessandro Rogora: Progettazione bioclimatica per l’architettura mediterranea. Metodi ed esempi. Collana: Architettura edilizia sostenibilità. Wolters Kluwer Italia S.r.l. Milanofiori Assago (MI), 2012..
- Hegger Fruchs Stark Zeumer: Atlante della sostenibilità. Collana: Grande Atlante di Architettura. UTET, Milanofiori Assago (MI), 2008.
- Enrico Sergio Mazzucchielli: Edifici ad energia quasi zero. Materiali, tecnologie e strategie progettuali per involucri e impianti innovativi ad alte prestazioni. MaggioliEditore, Santarcangelo di Romagna (RN), 2013.
- Fabrizio Tucci: INVOLUCRO BEN TEMPERATO. Efficienza energetica ed ecologica in architettura attraverso la pelle degli edifici. Collana: PROGETTO/TECNOLOGIA/AMBIENTE. Alinea editrice, Firenze, 2006.
- Direttiva Europea 2002/91/UE sul rendimento energetico nell’edilizia.
- Direttiva Europea 2010/31/UE sulla prestazione energetica nell’edilizia.
- Direttiva Europea 2018/884/UE che modifica la direttiva 2010/31/UE sulla prestazione energetica nell’edilizia e la direttiva 2012/27/UE sull’efficienza energetica.
- Decreto interministeriale 26 giugno 2015 – Adeguamento linee guida nazionali per la certificazione energetica degli edifici (https://www.mise.gov.it/index.php/it/normativa/decreti-interministeriali/2032968-decreto-interministeriale-26-giugno-2015-adeguamento-linee-guida-nazionali-per-la-certificazione-energetica-degli-edifici).
- UNI/TS 11300 1-6: Prestazioni energetiche degli edifici.
- UNI EN 15978: 2011 Sustainability of Construction Works-Assessment of Environmental Performance of Buildings.
Additional specific references (books, papers, doctoral thesis) will be recommended to students during theoretical lectures according to the topic discussed.
Learning Objectives
The overall goal of the course is to provide the basic knowledge of sustainable building design to outline strategies for designing energy-efficient and environment-friendly buildings. Necessary indications will be provided regarding the different active and passive strategies with related construction details to be adopted in buildings, methodological tools for their design, and the interaction of the building with natural elements such as sun, wind, and vegetation.
The course will enable the student to acquire the following knowledge and skills:
Knowledge and understanding skills. 1 - To know and understand the basic knowledge of sustainability and sustainable building design (mainly concerning residential building type), the elements and methods required for the design of energy, and environmental strategies to design energy-efficient and low-impact buildings by taking advantage of the interaction with natural elements.
Applied knowledge and understanding. 1 – Acquire the ability to apply the study of the building system to an energy-efficient building and evaluate the different energy and environmental strategies used during the practical exercise. 2 - Acquire the ability to design the relation between active and passive energy and environmental strategies and the building. 3 - Acquire the ability to deal with the regulatory apparatus regarding sustainable buildings regarding, for example, energy demand reduction and CO2 emissions abatement. 4 - Acquire the ability to define a construction solution concerning active and passive strategies to be adopted for the residential building type. 5 - Acquire basic knowledge of the application of energy and environmental certification and LCA protocols. 6 - Acquire the ability to interface with programs for assessing the environmental impact of the technological solution for the external wall of a building during the practical activity (eco2soft).
Ability to draw conclusions and Communication Skills. 1 - Acquire the ability to evaluate and employ energy and environmental strategies to design sustainable buildings of limited architectural complexity. 2 - Learn the ability to use the language and terminology of the subject correctly and appropriately about the issues addressed.
Autonomy of judgment. 1 - Acquire the ability to independently design the main active and passive strategies to be used in the design of energy-efficient and environmentally friendly buildings, understanding their operation and integration with the building.
Prerequisites
Knowledge related to Graphic Representation, internal functional distribution of buildings, building systems, and technical physics.
Teaching Methods
Theoretical lectures and practical exercise followed by the Lecturer.
Further information
Exercise
The practical exercise of the course consists of the detailed analysis of the building system (environmental system and technological system) of a sustainable building (nZEB, passive, plus energy) by filling out an analysis sheet (examples of analysis sheets are shown in class) and the study of the environmental impact (LCA) of a technological solution of the vertical perimeter wall of the analyzed building using eco2soft software. The final paper is due before the exam.
Type of Assessment
The examination consists of passing an oral examination and testing the practical exercise. The practical exercise is preparatory to gaining access to the oral examination. Each test is passed if a grade greater than or equal to 18 is reported. The final grade is obtained by considering the grade achieved in the practical exercise and the grade achieved in the oral test.
The oral examination will cover the entire program conducted during the teaching hours and will be conducted with a series of 2-4 theoretical and/or practical questions.
The oral examination allows verifying the theoretical content explained during frontal teaching in addition to:
Ability to learn. 1 - Through the hours of face-to-face teaching, the student acquires the appropriate knowledge and tools to continue the course of study and be independent in updating on the discipline.
Knowledge and understanding skills. 1 - Through the hours of face-to-face classroom teaching, the student becomes familiar with the basic knowledge regarding the concept of sustainability and strategies for designing sustainable buildings, acquires the main concepts regarding the energy and environmental strategies to be adopted for energy-efficient and zero-emission buildings, understands the design methods and tools, acquires the main technological solutions to be used, and learns about the interaction between natural elements and building design.
Ability to draw conclusions and Communication Skills. 1 - Through face-to-face teaching hours, the student learns the ability to use the language and terminology of the discipline correctly and appropriately.
Course program
The course syllabus consists of the following lecture topics:
1. Sustainability: the current national situation in terms of resource consumption and emissions in relation to buildings, sustainable development (definition, history, and major events and initiatives), circular economy, environmental (energy), social and economic sustainability, weak and strong sustainability, sustainable architecture (best practice examples), environmental approach and energy approach, integrated eco-design, steps in the sustainable design process.
2. Main international regulatory references on sustainability and energy efficiency from the first European Directive (2002) to the latest (2018) and the Paris Agreement (2015). Explanation of the main innovations introduced by each legislation mentioned. Main references at the national level that have transposed the different European Directives.
3. Energy efficient buildings: climate zones, mention of the main physical quantities for sustainable building design, definition of nZEB, passive and energy plus building (best practice examples).
4. Environmental and energy certification: definition and main reference regulations, scoring and non-scoring systems, certification protocols (best practice examples), LCA, introduction to eco2soft software for LCA calculation.
5.Energy-efficient building design: active and passive design strategies, natural elements influencing building design (sun and solar radiation, wind, vegetation), building orientation within the construction site, optimal orientation and shape, geometry, compactness, and surface-to-volume ratio.
6. Active and passive solar systems:
a. Passive building cooling;
b. Ventilation chimney and solar chimney;
c. Roof pond;
d. Green roof.
6. The glass.
7. Solar shading systems.
8. The Trombe wall and the solar greenhouse.
9. Integration of architectural, structural, and plant design, the building-plant system, possible plant solutions for an energy-efficient building, solar panels, and integration with the DHW system.
10. Photovoltaic system: reference regulations, operation, sizing, types, and integration of active systems in the building envelope.
11. Insulation materials for technological solutions to be used for external walls.