Scientific research activities were aimed at deepening and developing themes inherent to the Scientific Disciplinary Sector of reference (ICAR/10) and in particular:
i. Circularity and environmental sustainability of the built heritage
The following studies are included in this research topic:
- methods and tools for assessing the environmental impact and level of circularity at the building and component scale;
- methods and tools for analysis and design according to the principles of Design for Disassembly (DfD);
- methods for assessing the environmental and economic impacts of different intervention scenarios of renovation or demolition with reconstruction;
- environmental analyses aimed at assessing the energy and carbon absorbed during the life cycle and the level of circularity at the scale of the building and the building component;
- innovative prefabricated ("plug&play") systems with low environmental impact for the refurbishment of the building envelope;
- integration between different digital tools for the development of a decision support digital platform for the selection of interventions for the upgrading of the existing heritage.
ii. Renovation of the recent building heritage
The following studies are included in this research topic:
- methods and tools for expeditious simplified assessments of the state of conservation and intervention scenarios compatible with the current state;
- innovative systems for the functional and performance upgrading of the building envelope;
volumetric addition processes and techniques for energy efficiency;
- regulatory, technical-constructive and structural feasibility analysis of the foreseen compatible intervention scenarios;
- performance analyses of renovated buildings, through the use of stationary and dynamic energy analysis software;
- economic-financial analyses aimed at validating the interventions in terms of cost-benefit and payback time estimation.
iii. Analysis and experimentation of construction procedures
The following studies are included in this research topic:
- construction systems in stone and reinforced stone (flat arches and arches);
- TIM (Topologically Interlocking Materials) self-blocking systems for the construction of walls, floors and domes, elaborated from the first configurations conceived in the 17th century by Abeille, Frézier, Truchet, up to modern solutions developed and elaborated with the support of parametric digital tools;
- wooden structures of the "par y nudillo" type, with particular reference to "armaduras de lazo" for the construction of roofs (17th century carpentry treatises);
- innovative techniques and materials for the construction of façade systems;
- analysis, design and realisation of a prototype energy self-sufficient house (Solar Decathlon Europe 2014);
- traditional raw earth and straw building techniques and reinterpretation using modern 3D printing technologies.
iv. New European Bauhaus (NEB)
The following studies are included in this research topic:
- participatory design strategies based on the principles of "City as a Commons";
- methods and tools for the simplified assessment of the level of compliance of a building/district/urban area with the principles promoted by the NEB;
- development of the NEB Impact Model that includes a set of specific indicators for assessing the level of compliance with NEB requirements.
v. Analysis of architectural works and construction events
The following studies are included in this research topic:
- prefabricated school building heritage in Bologna (1960-1980);
- Le Corbusier's works related to housing prototypes (Pavillion de l'Esprit Nouveau, Unité d'Habitation de Marseille, Le Cabanon, Maison Dom-Ino);
- stereotomic construction in the church of Saint-Sulpice in Paris;
- recent building heritage built in the 20th century in the United States, with a focus on the study of building envelope systems;
- Geisel Library at the University of California, San Diego;
- historic centre of La Habana Vieja, Cuba;
- traditional Chinese building techniques handed down through 11th century architectural manuals ("Yingzao Fashi" by Li Jie).
