jou rna l h om epage: www.elsev ier .com/ locate /scs
nergy retrofit to nearly zero and socio-oriented urban environmentsn the Mediterranean climate
nnarita Ferrante ∗
A, Department of Architecture, School of Engineering and Architecture, UNIBO, Viale Risorgimento 2, 40126 Bologna, ItalyUOA, National University ofthens, Physics Department, Group Building Environmental Research, Panepistimioupolis, 15784 Athens, Greece
r t i c l e i n f o
eywords:early zero energyocio-oriented strategiesost-effective analysis
a b s t r a c t
The paper aims at presenting alternative ways of investigating, planning and managing sustainableurban environments, by exploring the possibility to use energy retrofitting options as a socio-economicalleverage towards nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEBs).
The connecting theme of the proposed research path is that the crises of energy supply and globalwarming need to be tackled with an interdisciplinary, both socio-technical and engineering approach.
In particular, the design study and the performed technical–economical evaluation demonstrate thatenergy efficiency in residential urban complex can be considered as an extraordinary opportunity torestore environmental, social and urban quality.
The techno-economical feasibility assessment, the proper identification of the types of interventionand their combination in possible scenarios must be investigated and estimated on a case-by-case basis,with an effective and interdisciplinary design approach integrating in a whole system the socio-technicalaspects into the feasibility study of economical and architectural issues.
In this context, a renewed role of architects and planners is what is need for a real shift in the buildingpractice. In fact, instead of trying to structure the informal through the architectural production based onauthorship, architects should consider the users’ perspective and their need as self-organised processesof negotiation. This strategy can help in engaging a real shift from the current practice towards a social
sustainable process where inhabitants and designers work together to find effective and real solutionsto social and technical questions.
The urban and technological strategies here presented suggest a multi-fold approach that could stim-ulate the process of energy renewal according to a socio-oriented use of architectural tools in urbanenvironments.
. State of the art and crucial issues in the Mediterraneanities
Cities and their surroundings areas consume the 80% of finalnergy in the European Union and more than two thirds of the pop-lation lives in urban areas (EU Commission, 2011). Urban growthas reached such a peak, that bypasses, reversals, or new ways ofevelopment are needed (EU Report, 2010b). Some significant and
Please cite this article in press as: Ferrante, A. Energy retrofit to nearly zclimate. Sustainable Cities and Society (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.101
larming figures are reported in literature. The world populationas grown from 2 to 6 billion, and soon will reach 7 billion, whilehe percentage of human beings living in cities has increased from
∗ Correspondence to: DA, Department of Architecture, School of Engineering andrchitecture, UNIBO, Viale Risorgimento 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy.el.: +39 0512093168; fax: +39 0512093156.
3% in 1800 to 14% in 1900 and is estimated to rise from the current50% to 75% in 2050. The figure for Europe is still higher: 83% of thepopulation are expected to live in cities by 2050 (EU Report, 2010a).
Increasing urbanization and deficiencies in development con-trol in the urban environment have important consequences onthe thermal degradation of urban climate and the environmentalefficiency of buildings (Santamouris, 2001, 2007, 2012).
The average temperature on the earth’s surface has sufferedan increase of +0.6% and is estimated to reach 1.5% by 2030. Asa consequence of heat balance, air temperatures in densely builturban areas are higher than the temperatures of the surroundingrural zones (Santamouris, 2001; Yamashita, 1996). In fact, the pro-gressive increase of global warming will specifically raise urban
ero and socio-oriented urban environments in the Mediterranean6/j.scs.2014.02.001
temperatures. After the Messina earthquake of 1908 (which causedabout 83,000 deaths) the hot summer of 2003 with ∼70,000 deaths,mostly in the cities, was the second heaviest natural disaster of thelast 100 years in Europe.
Other problems, such as building deterioration and unused/bandoned areas, are also concentrated in cities. Furthermore,editerranean cities are now faced with new and persistent prob-
ems of unemployment, poverty, social exclusion, (e)migrationGarniatia, Owena, Kruijsena, Ishadamyb, & Wibisonoc, 2013;eschke, 2013).
In this context, “the objective of Energy Efficient (EE) and eco-omically viable societies appears to be particularly challenging in
context of global economic slowdown such as the one the worlds currently experiencing” (Masini & Menichetti, 2010). In fact,he severe reduction of energy consumption towards zero energyuildings and districts is especially crucial given harsh economicimes.
.1. The energy potential of green and passive techniques in therban microclimate
As a consequence of heat balance, air temperatures in denselyuilt urban areas are higher than the temperatures of the surround-
ng rural zones. The phenomenon, known as ‘Heat Island’ (HI), is dueo many factors (Santamouris, 2001; Yamashita, 1996): the canyoneometry, the thermal properties of materials increasing storage ofensible heat in the fabric of the city, the anthropogenic heat, therban greenhouse; all these factors contribute to increase urban HIffect.
Research studies on this subject refer usually to the ‘urban HIntensity’, which is the maximum temperature difference betweenhe city and the surrounding area (Santamouris, 2001).
In this context the city of Athens represents a highly signif-cant pilot study: data compiled by various sources (Ferrante,
ihalakakou, & Odolini, 1997; Giannopoulou et al., 2010;antamouris, 2001, 2007, 2012) and surveys performed in Athensn the HI intensity – involving more than 30 urban stations – showhat during hot summer seasons urban stations present tempera-ures that are significantly higher than the ones recorded in theomparable suburban stations (the gap varies from 5 to 15 ◦C).t is well known that trees and vegetation have a strong effectn climate since green spaces can help cool our cities (Buttstädt,achsen, Ketzler, Merbitz, & Schneider, 2010; Santamouris, 2001,007, 2012) and save energy (Yamashita, 1996). Trees also helpitigate the greenhouse effect, filter pollutants, mask noise and
revent erosion (Ferrante & Mihalakakou, 2001; Fintikakis et al.,011). Results of computer simulations aimed at studying the com-ined effect of shading and evaporative transpiration of vegetationn the energy use of several typical one-storey buildings in US citiesave showed that by adding one tree per house, the cooling energyavings varied from 12 to 24%, while adding three trees per housean reduce the cooling load between 17 and 57% (Akbari, 2002).ccording to this study, the direct effects of shading account fornly 10–35% of the total cooling energy savings. As a consequence,he cooling load of reference buildings in city centre is about twicehe value of equivalent buildings in rural areas.
Furthermore, previous research work developed within therame of the research project POLIS in Athens (Ferrante,antamouris, Koronaki, Mihalakakou, & Papanikolau, 1998) havehowed some appropriate procedures to design the use of naturalomponents – such as green roofs and pedestrian permeable sur-aces – within Urban Canyons (UCs). The design of outdoor spaces
even if reduced to the envelope of the buildings because of exist-ng urban constraints within thickly built urban areas – as well ashe use of natural components have been regarded as key meanso improve urban conditions in relation to both microclimate and
Please cite this article in press as: Ferrante, A. Energy retrofit to nearly zclimate. Sustainable Cities and Society (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.101
eduction of pollutants. By ‘making-up’ the building’s surfaces andlevation facades with green components or shading devices, fourifferent scenarios have been proposed in four different UCs inthens downtown (Fig. 1).
PRESS Society xxx (2014) xxx–xxx
Experimental software research models have been used toquantify the positive effects of these selected passive techniques.Obtained results clearly indicated that outer surfaces’ alternativedesign acts as prior microclimate modifier and deeply improvesoutdoor air climate and quality (up to 2/3 ◦C reduction in ambienttemperature) (Santamouris, 2001).
Other significant physical factors in the thermal performance ofurban environments are wind flows and air circulation (Ricciardelli& Polimeno, 2006; Santamouris, Papanikolau, Koronakis, Livada, &Asimakopoulos, 1999) as well as air stratification within UCs. Inparticular, the HI effect and the microclimatic conditions typicalof UCs (Bitan, 1992) appear to be strongly influenced by thermalproperties of the materials and components used in the buildingsand on the streets (Buttstädt et al., 2010). Furthermore, com-parative research studies (Synnefa, Santamouris, & Apostolakis,2007) demonstrated that the use of cool coloured materials andthermo-chromic building coatings can contribute to energy savingsin buildings, providing a thermally comfortable indoor environ-ment and improved urban microclimatic conditions (Karlessi,Santamouris, Apostolakis, Synefa, & Livada, 2009).
It is therefore evident that urban areas in the Mediterraneanclimate have to be conceived, investigated and re-designed as awhole consisting of the buildings blocks and the related open areaalong the street/square (Ferrante & Cascella, 2011).
Thus, morphological and spatial geometry of urban areas, ther-mal properties of surface coatings and green surfaces have a strongpotential on the energy performance and cooling demand reduc-tion in urban settings. As a first conclusion note, we can statethat microclimate in the urban canyons and urban areas may beassumed as the central core of climatic conditions in the city. Thespecial context of urban environments needs to be further inves-tigated by means of a more holistic approach able to integratethe potential of mutual intersections among the different physi-cal components (green, surfaces, coating materials, new buildingsenvelopes) and their effects on urban climate in a comprehensivedesign tool.
1.2. Policy background and zero energy case studies
To respond to the growing urban environment energy demand,energy oriented innovations and practices, regulative instrumentsand incentives are emerging, such as the recent European andnational Directives on Energy Performance of Buildings EPB onnearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEBs), or the investments in Renew-able Energy Sources (RES) technology like feed-in tariffs and policyincentives. In fact, in the frame of the legislative plane, recently theEuropean Parliament (Directive 2010/31/EU on the EPB), amendingthe previous 2002 EPB Directive, has approved a recast, proposingthat by 31 December 2020 all new buildings shall be nearly zero-energy consumption and will have to produce as much energy asthey consume on-site (Task 40/Towards Zero Energy Solar Build-ings, IEA SHC/ECBCS Project, Annex 52).
In particular, over the last decades, energy oriented innova-tions in building technology have emerged in many areas of thebuilding construction sector (Brown & Vergragt, 2008; Dakwale,Ralegaonkar, & Mandavgane, 2011) till the latest experiences aim-ing at setting to zero the carbon emission of new developments andeven of a whole City. Nowadays we may state that green buildingsbelong to the “history of architecture”: the first prototype build-ings and their attempts to achieve zero-heating in the form of solarhouses date back to 1950s (Hernandez & Kenny, 2010).
Among the recent experiences is the well known urban village
ero and socio-oriented urban environments in the Mediterranean6/j.scs.2014.02.001
BedZED (Beddington Zero Emission Development), winner of theprestigious Energy Awards in Linz, Housing and Building category,Austria, 2002 (Marsh, 2002). A first zero waste-zero carbon emis-sion City is to be constructed in Abu Dhabi, Masdar City, designed by
A. Ferrante / Sustainable Cities and Society xxx (2014) xxx–xxx 3
Fig. 1. On the left (a) some appropriate procedures to design the use of natural components – such as green roofs and pedestrian permeable surfaces – within Urban Canyons(UCs) in Athens (Ferrante et al., 1998); (b) obtained results indicated that outer surfaces’ alternative design acts as prior microclimate modifier and deeply improves outdoora uris, 2S nd, th
Ntridtea
rBaec
otnTiprmic
ir climate and quality – up to 2/3 ◦C reduction in ambient temperature (Santamoantamouris, 1999). (For interpretation of the references to color in this figure lege
. Foster. Despite its location (the oil rich and hot part of the world)he development is designed as a huge, positive energy building,esulting in a self-sustaining city. A further example pilot studys the Copenhagen climate plan (City of Copenhagen, 2009), whichemonstrates how to make the city the world’s first carbon neu-ral capital by 2025 by means of using biomass in power stations,recting windmill parks, increasing reliance on geothermal powernd renovating the district heating network.
The increasing interest in nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEBs),ecent European and national Directives on Energy Performance ofuildings (EPB), easier accessible Best Available Techniques (BATs)nd Renewable Energy Sources (RES), all seem to point to furtherxploitation of BAT and better penetration of RES into new buildingonstruction.
Furthermore, in spite of growing investments in RES technol-gy (Bürer & Wüstenhagen, 2009), feed-in tariffs and, in general,he policy incentives (Bulkeley, 2010), additional investments areeeded to reduce carbon emissions and fossil fuel consumption.he treaty issued by several NGOs calls for a doubling of marketnvestments by 2012 and quadrupling by 2020 to attain the pro-osed carbon emission reduction targets (Meyer et al., 2010). Aseported by Guy (2006), according to the United Nations Environ-
Please cite this article in press as: Ferrante, A. Energy retrofit to nearly zclimate. Sustainable Cities and Society (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.101
ental Programme (UNEP) there is still an “urgent need for thencorporation of EE issues to be included in urban planning andonstruction”. “Needless to say, this is particularly challenging in a
001) and up to 4◦–5◦ reduction in indoor temperature (Ferrante, Mihalakakou, &e reader is referred to the web version of the article.)
context of global economic slowdown such as the one the world iscurrently experiencing” (Masini & Menichetti, 2010).
The majority of these recent case studies refer to newly con-ceived buildings and large development plan.
Thus, the challenge now is to widen technical ZEB knowledge inexisting built environments: we need to shift our technical under-standing on EE from new developments and buildings to existingbuildings, within UCs of active cities, since the large amount ofexisting stock represents the wider potential in carbon terms.
In this context, recent studies and design proposals on build-ing energy retrofitting (Ferrante, Mochi, Gulli, & Cattani, 2011)has proved that huge energy saving may be achieved in winterby adding different coatings to existing buildings. In particular,the combination of new building coatings like sunspaces or bufferzones (as shown in Fig. 2) and RES, drastically reduce the EnergyPerformance indexes of the buildings up to the target of nZEB(Ferrante & Semprini, 2011).
Thus, the context of buildings in urban areas should be furtherinvestigated, to understand the potential of mutual intersectionsbetween passive components, Energy Efficient (EE) techniques andRES. In fact, the study of the potential synergies between passiveand active systems have not been fully explored; nonetheless it is
ero and socio-oriented urban environments in the Mediterranean6/j.scs.2014.02.001
particular important, since the use of EE systems and RES shouldprovide additional energy saving deriving from passive-activeinteractions. For example, the potential of PV systems in cooling,
4 A. Ferrante / Sustainable Cities and Society xxx (2014) xxx–xxx
F ogna.
( tate; tfi
sugi2aam
ci
1u
ie
pel
mAetido
ih
ant
cbuiucmfosV
M
ig. 2. Energy retrofitting by new envelopes design in a reference building of BolkWh/m2*y) as a function of different retrofitting options (from left (grey) = initial sgure legend, the reader is referred to the web version of the article.)
hading, increasing air stratification and vertical air extraction fromrban open areas may produce additional energy savings, disre-arded so far; wind micro-turbines may behave in interesting waysn urban environment: for example, the roof effect (Mithraratne,009) – which refers to wind colliding with a pitched roof – mayccelerate the air movement thus improving the performance of
micro-turbine on the roof; furthermore, a micro-wind generatoray help to extract air from buildings and urban environments.This represents a key added value to be gained from closer
ollaborations among researchers, existing business investors andndustrial partners in the field of RES.
.3. Low carbon communities and grass-root initiatives in therban environment
Alongside with the zero-energy needs and policies, an increas-ng societal need for human recognition in depersonalized urbannvironments is emerging.
Furthermore, many European cities are now faced with new andersistent problems of unemployment rates, poverty and socialxclusion, (e)migration, “brain waste” and shortages in skilledabour (Garniatia et al., 2013; Leschke, 2013).
Building deterioration and abandoned areas are also present inany cities of the EU and especially of the Mediterranean areas.s a combined outcome of the labour market crisis in the urbannvironment on the one hand, and the functional or “Ford” city ofhe 20th century, on the other hand, much of the EU urban spaces devalued: the “transparency” of the facades on street level areestroyed either by closing all potential social/public attractivenessn ground level and by the infill of garages (Fig. 3).
The growing amount of abandoned urban areas and buildings –ncluding the historical built heritage – represents one of the majoritches throughout the EU cities.
In this context, redesigning energy technologies in the urbanreas is certainly a major challenge, but also an opportunity forew urban synergies. Succeeding in this endeavour requires morehan getting the engineering right (Webler & Tuler, 2010).
Thus, energy efficiency in urban settings is more than a techni-al problem. Recent studies have suggested that more focus shoulde placed on the social aspects at community level and that energysers should be engaged in their role of citizens. In fact, develop-
ng more sustainable consumption and production systems dependpon consumers’ willingness to engage in “greener” and moreollective behaviours (Peattie, 2010). In this frame, local urban com-unities have inimitable advantages in providing infrastructure
or more sustainable consumption environment; different typesf low-carbon communities as a context to reduce carbon inten-
Please cite this article in press as: Ferrante, A. Energy retrofit to nearly zclimate. Sustainable Cities and Society (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.101
ity are emerging at different scales (Heiskanen, Johnson, Robinson,adovics, & Saastamoinen, 2010).
Existing literature (Guy, 2006; Martin Chris et al., 2014;ulugetta, Jackson, & van der Horst, 2010) stresses the need for
(a) initial scenario; (b, c) new scenario; (d) different Energy Performance indexeso right (green) = final scenario). (For interpretation of the references to color in this
a clear transfer from a technical/economically based urban the-ory to a human based and socio-technical urban vision to achievea greener behaviour in urban environment. As also shown in Fig. 4,timid attempts in the sustainable “re-design” of urban places bylocal-based communities are arising in the spatial sphere of theurban street environments.
Notably, some of Europe’s leading innovation Nations haveincluded user-driven or user-centred innovation as a way of pro-viding innovative products and services that correspond better touser needs and therefore are more competitive.
User-driven innovation (EU (Commission of) Communities,2009) is closely associated with design, and involves tools andmethodologies developed and used by designers. Practises of(re)-design of existing buildings by engaging final users are alsooccurring in different contexts of EU and worldwide (Fig. 5).
In brief, there is a special need for efficient schemes where zero-energy requirements, energy construction quality, technologicalflexibility can fit with different users’ needs and expectation, takinginto account the different economic and social possibilities, withinthe large building stock throughout European cities. Existing build-ings in urban environments represent the biggest challenge bothin carbon terms – because of the large amount of existing stock –and for the social impact they may generate on the relationshipbetween human behaviour and urban sites.
The EU policy and regulatory framework often supports thedevelopment of sectoral solutions both in energy related issues andin the fight against poverty and social exclusion (Garniatia et al.,2013), whose intersections/interactions should be implemented toproperly match the complexity of urban environments and to findcross-fertilizing actions and win–win solutions.
Finally, as stated before, urban areas (streets, open areas andconnected residential buildings) are the core of the search for newintersections between urban dwellers and energy related issues.Effective research actions should explore the socio-technical mech-anisms that can promote the concrete synergies between economicconstraints, users expectations, EE systems and production, inrenewed forms of urban self-expression.
Thus, the context of existing buildings in urban areas needto be further investigated according to an interdisciplinary andmulti-oriented approach, to understand the actual potential ofmutual intersections between new forms of urban production,Energy Efficient (EE) techniques, RES and social attractiveness. Infact, the study of the potential synergies between EE systems andhuman/social aspects related to the establishment and develop-ment of new urban production/economies have not been exploredso far; nonetheless it is of particular importance, not only becausethe use of EE systems and RES should provide additional energy
ero and socio-oriented urban environments in the Mediterranean6/j.scs.2014.02.001
saving deriving from the socio-technical interactions, but, aboveall, because social involvement is a necessary step to explore, test,evaluate and even create new ideas, to respond to the increasingneed for human recognition in depersonalized urban environment.
A. Ferrante / Sustainable Cities and Society xxx (2014) xxx–xxx 5
Fig. 3. Different urban canyons in the European cities. From the left to right: (a) Vienna; (b, c) Bologna; (d, e) Athens. Devalued urban space on the street of the city, destroyedeither by closing potential social/public attractiveness on ground level and/or by the infill of garages.
F in Boloa
li
2
pitsilea
o
o
o
o
ig. 4. Occupying small parking areas, the Urban Community Centotrecento Street
more sustainable management of space, equipment and resources.
This represents a key added value to be gained from closer col-aborations among researchers, public bodies, citizens and businessnvestors in the field of low carbon urban policy.
. Future challenges. . .
There is thus a lack of comprehensive information on theossible intersections between the BAT’s options and a concrete
nclusive approach to users needs. Furthermore, a close collabora-ion between physicians, engineers, architects, energy companies,takeholders and urban dwellers, amongst others, is missing, whichs probably one of the reasons why progress in this area is stillimited to date. From the complexity of the state of the art in urbannvironment a series of missing issues arises. To sum up, there isn increasing need for:
Further exploration of urban areas’ geometry for achieving betterunderstanding of the actual energy demand within the differentresidential areas of the city. This further exploration should beobserved and quantified not only with reference to the buildingblocks and urban textures considered as the “solid” part of thecity, but also to the open streets environments, thus consideringthe buildings and the related open spaces as the “core” of energyinvestigation and the consequent global effects emerging fromthe cumulative effects of all the buildings and open areas of thecity;
Energy retrofitting actions in existing building stocks withinlocalized ground-based urban environment;
Research studies able to bridge the knowledge gaps on the poten-tial of both passive and active technologies by RES – solar, PV,
Please cite this article in press as: Ferrante, A. Energy retrofit to nearly zclimate. Sustainable Cities and Society (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.101
Aeolian – and their mutual intersections in the thermal balanceof urban areas;
Small scale and distributed RES penetration in local urban envi-ronments;
Fig. 5. User-centred design by participative process with the inhabita
gna has encouraged small practices of self-organization among the inhabitants for
o Bottom-up processes aimed at including urban dwellers in low-carbon transition pathways within selected urban contexts.
Since cities are the closest administrative level to citizens andthey can best leverage local development potential and humancapacities (Energy Cities, 2012), they are now urgently called toreach a socially cohesive, Energy Efficient (EE) and economicallyviable society. In particular, it is necessary to explore new waysto drastically reduce the energy consumption towards zero energybuildings and districts while enhancing the social identity and localskills, vitalizing the urban economies, which is especially crucialgiven harsh economic times. These apparently dialectic challenges(EE and low carbon cities versus social inclusion and economicgrowth) should be seen as cross-fertilizing sectors where findingsin one realm could be the synergic output for the other one.
In a range of innovative new ways, local governments are nowcalled to “connect the dots” between EE, resource conservation,sustainability, and local economic development.
“In the search of bridging the gaps between EE technology andsociety, we need to explore the potential links and intersectionsbetween technologies and urban dwellers in particular contexts ofuse, advocating the development of low-carbon and socio-orientedexperiments in the urban environments” (Guy, 2006).
Thus new connections between citizens, business investorsand energy related issues should be investigated within localizedurban contexts. It is therefore important to understand the socio-economical barriers to the achievements of nZEBs in existing urbanenvironments.
2.1. Important economic barriers towards nZEBs
ero and socio-oriented urban environments in the Mediterranean6/j.scs.2014.02.001
Energy efficiency in housing is more than a mere technical prob-lem. In fact, to reach the ambitious target of nZEBs – EPBD recast2010/31/EU, the technical feasibility in general is not sufficient
nts in new (from left, a, b) and existing buildings (right, c, d, e).
6 A. Ferrante / Sustainable Cities and Society xxx (2014) xxx–xxx
F rity ofa
tc
i6TtpimlbsE2
2crat
ti
FsCa
ig. 6. The age distribution of EU existing building stock shows that the larger majond ‘80s).
o widely spread nZEB into building current practise, especiallyonsidering the quality of existing building stock.
As a matter of fact – see reported in Fig. 6 hereunder, the exist-ng building stock in EU consists in the larger majority (about the0%) of buildings built after the second world war (‘60s and ‘80s).his percentage even increases (about the 70–75%) if we confinehe analysis within the boundaries of the Mediterranean Euro-ean countries (Greece, Cyprus, Spain, Portugal, etc.) and slightly
ncreases for Italy, as well (about 65%). Since the energy require-ents applicable to housing before 1995 were absent or very
imited, the majority of existing buildings in EU have been built wellefore the entry into force of regulatory measures on energy con-umption reduction; as a result, the existing building stock acrossU present very low standard energy performance (EU Report,010b).
A survey of social housing providers across EU (CECODHAS,013) identified 5 key categories of barriers (economic, technical,redibility, social, legislative) in delivering new construction andetrofit to nZEB standards; in particular, among others, the lack ofccess to available and affordable finance to retrofit existing stockowards nZEBs is one of the major barriers.
Please cite this article in press as: Ferrante, A. Energy retrofit to nearly zclimate. Sustainable Cities and Society (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.101
The research studies and analysis performed in different EU con-exts as well as have shown wide margins of Energy Efficiency (EE)n the retrofitting through standard technical interventions such
ig. 7. Schematic fac ades representing the distribution of dwellings’ Energy Performanctandard energy retrofitting operations (insulation of opaque elements and surfaces andorticella). Residential units located at the roof and ground floor level on the side cornersppropriate coating and windows replacement (right) that drastically reduce the energy
buildings (about the 60%) have been constructed after the second World War (‘60s
as plants renewal or U-value reduction of building components(Ferrante, 2011).
In particular, the energy investigation on a sample of about 30building blocks in Bologna (Quartiere Corticella) has demonstratedthe energy saving potential of standard retrofitting operations(insulation of opaque elements and surfaces and window replace-ment). In Fig. 7 residential units are represented the schematicelevation of typical building block of the ‘80s and Energy Per-formances indexes before (Fig. 7 left) and after (right) the energyretrofitting are reported for each unit. The figure also shows thatresidential units located at the roof and ground floor level on theside corners show the highest energy demand (left). This demandis highly compensated by the appropriate coating and windowsreplacement (right) that drastically reduce the energy consumptionof the original building as a whole, though consistent differencespersist between the residential units located on the side cornersof the building and the ones situated in the internal section of theblock.
To identify the economical feasibility of the standard energyretrofit, a cost–benefit analysis was conducted by means of amarket survey, determining, for each different design option, the
ero and socio-oriented urban environments in the Mediterranean6/j.scs.2014.02.001
evaluation in terms of energy performance improvement and therelated cost estimations. In particular, the financial analysis of pro-fitability using the method of differential cash flows to calculate the
es before (left) and after (right) the energy retrofitting of the building by means of window replacement) in a typical building block of the ‘80s (Bologna, Quartiere
show the highest energy demand (left). This demand is highly compensated by theconsumption of the original building as a whole.
A. Ferrante / Sustainable Cities and Society xxx (2014) xxx–xxx 7
F left: ba
No
hfbaiw
hw
ebtvantt(
ig. 8. Cost Benefit analysis performed in a typical building block of the ‘80s. On thend 14 years without incentives.
et Present Value (NPV) shows long pay-back time of the standardperation.
In the average, a sample of about 30 building blocks in Bolognaave been investigated with similar simulations quantifying dif-
erent variants in retrofitting actions of the existing buildinglocks; simulations showed that it is possible to reach an aver-ge Energy Performance (EP) around 35–70 to kWh/m2*y, by thensulation of opaque surfaces and the replacement of existing
indows.However, the cost–benefit assessments of these interventions
ave always showed excessive payback times (up to 10–15 yearsithout incentives).
Moreover these operations do not fully compensate the differ-nt EP of the units within the building; this can produce additionalarriers towards the adoption of monitoring systems to controlhe energy waste. As an example, the adoption of thermostaticalves on radiators in centralized heating plants causes the unbal-nced distribution in the energy bill and possible problems of
Please cite this article in press as: Ferrante, A. Energy retrofit to nearly zclimate. Sustainable Cities and Society (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.101
egotiations among the dwellers. In case of a proportional redis-ribution of the total cost of the energy retrofitting measures,he disadvantaged units would incur significantly higher expensesFig. 8).
Fig. 9. Energy retrofitting options and connected Energy Perfo
ay back period of standard insulation resulting in 8–9 years with public incentives
The costs of other energy retrofitting operations envisaging theuse of new building coatings like sunspaces or buffer zones and REShave also been considered.
In the graph (Fig. 9), the various design assumptions and theconsequent Energy Performance indexes (the building’s energy pri-mary demand for heating and production hot water), are compared.
As shown in Fig. 9, these more radical transformation hypothe-ses drastically reduce the Energy Performance indexes of thebuildings up to the target of a Passive House, which can easilyachieve the target of nZEB by a reduced use of RES.
Furthermore, the different energy Performance indexes(kWh/m2*y) of the retrofitting options have been compared to therelative options’ costs. As expected, the higher is the building’stransformation, the higher are the costs (Fig. 10).
3. Why do we believe in the economic feasibility of nZEBsin existing urban environments?
ero and socio-oriented urban environments in the Mediterranean6/j.scs.2014.02.001
High costs in energy retrofitting have driven some experiencesat EU level (i.e. SuRE-Fit, Reshape, Solar Decathlon, etc.) as wellas pilot cases in Austria and The Netherlands (Fig. 11) to focus on
rmance indexes (kWh/m2*y) in the reference building.
8 A. Ferrante / Sustainable Cities and Society xxx (2014) xxx–xxx
Fig. 10. Energy Performance indexes (kWh/m2*y) and connected costs in the reference building.
F t): exo
tet
fbauEo
dt
bwEe
b
F(
ig. 11. Van Shagen in Amsterdam and Kolpa Architecten in Rotterdam (on the righf existing buildings.
he strategy of rooftop extensions as additional volumes whoseconomic value in the housing real estate market counterbalanceshe energy retrofitting costs.
The concept of volumetric add-ons has been further developedor the case studies in Bologna; the results have showed how newuilding envelopes and highly performing – Energy plus – volumedditions integrated with RES (such as photovoltaic plant) may besed to drastically reduce EP indexes down to the target of Zeronergy balance as well as to counterbalance the high initial costsf the investments.
A feasibility study of these volumetric addictions has beeneveloped, concentrating them in the most dispersive portion ofhe building (Fig. 12).
Furthermore, if we consider the hypothetic investment of inha-itants in add-ons, the gains obtained by sales of the new flatsould counterbalance both the standard energy retrofit (13.400
UR per unit) and the cost of RES (PV panels) to set to zero the
Please cite this article in press as: Ferrante, A. Energy retrofit to nearly zclimate. Sustainable Cities and Society (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.101
nergy demand of the whole building (Fig. 13).Thus, in the hypothesis of a higher transformation of selected
uilding blocks, the volumetric addictions may be conceived as
ig. 12. A simulation of possible volumetric addictions concentrated in the most disperCorticella District, Bologna).
amples of volumetric compensation (roof-top extension) in the energy retrofitting
powerful, energy generating and insulating buffer zones able to setto zero the energy demand of the original building. Furthermore,this effective strategy may help to balance the different EP of theunits within the building blocks.
On the side of economical feasibility, the incremental transfor-mation may produce an interesting opportunity to counterbalancethe high investment costs of energy transformation.
The strategy of add-ons has been tested for several scenarios indifferent building blocks and cost–benefit analysis’ results as wellas architectural enhancements and technical feasibility are veryencouraging (Figs. 14 and 15).
Thus, in the search of additional forms of compensation andincentives for nZEB in existing buildings, volumetric addition, den-sification and/or “infill” may represent crucial tools to enhancethe technical and economic feasibility of energy retrofittingoperations.
These interventions’ costs are not lower than the standard
ero and socio-oriented urban environments in the Mediterranean6/j.scs.2014.02.001
solutions, but their payback (considering roof extensions and con-struction of new units) together with the direct benefit of potentialinvestors which gain space and money by possible add-ons, have
sive portion of the building in the energy retrofitting of an existing building block
Fig. 13. If we consider the hypothetic investment of inhabitants in add-ons, thegains obtained by sales of the new flats are equal to 25,000 EUR/unit, thus thesegt
ab
tc
trfa
t
severe degradation conditions may imply a depreciation of the
ain would counterbalance both the standard energy retrofit (13,400 EUR/unit) andhe cost of RES (PV panels) to set to zero the energy demand of the whole building.
very positive effect on the technical and economic feasibility ofuildings retrofit towards nZEBs.
Other advantages (iii) – not always quantifiable and not relatedo technical-economic estimations – confirm the strategic role ofompensation of volumes’ additions.
First of all (i) the possibility of using the adds-on to optimizehe thermal operating conditions in summer conditions (due to theeduction of incident solar radiation, for the vertical air flow, etc.);urthermore these new structures can also accommodate or to act
Please cite this article in press as: Ferrante, A. Energy retrofit to nearly zclimate. Sustainable Cities and Society (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.101
s support for new/renewed ducts for plants and lighting, etc.Second (ii), the possibility to use the support structures of
he additions volumetric also for the purpose of improving the
Fig. 14. Study of the technical and structural feasibility f
PRESS Society xxx (2014) xxx–xxx 9
conditions of the static and mechanical performance of existingstructures. These “structural invariants”, in fact, if properly sizedand fixed to the frames of existing structures (often made-up byreinforced concrete), provide an additional element of constructionquality and durability.
Last, but not least, (iii) the use of these invariants generatesa higher degree of adaptability and variability that facilitates thetransition from standardized solutions towards custom-made andtailored designs responses.
This highly flexible and adaptive character of the add-ons givesan extra chance to nZEB process: different possibilities of add-onscan be studied to encounter the multiple needs and respond to theheterogeneous demand of users/tenant/dwellers.
It is therefore evident that the involvement of user needsrequirements represents a necessary step towards the achievementof effective energy retrofitting towards nZEBs.
4. Social feasibility of nZEBs in existing urbanenvironments
4.1. Architectural and social aspects towards nZEBs
Within the frame of social housing sector, many experienceshave highlighted the coincidence between low quality and high-energy management costs, often associated to the deterioration ofboth buildings and urban contexts (Santamouris et al., 2007).
Thus, promoting energy improvement measures for social hous-ing is an urgent and challenging objective (CECODHAS HousingEurope’s Observatory, 2011). The opportunity for interventionsto reduce energy costs must also be considered in terms of ren-ovation and valorization of buildings, which are correspondingkey benefits. In fact, operating a mere energy retrofitting on indi-vidual residential units or building blocks in urban contexts in
ero and socio-oriented urban environments in the Mediterranean6/j.scs.2014.02.001
same retrofitting actions; in other terms, it can be said that energyretrofitting in the context of social housing has a strong influence onthe quality of the built environment that can not be ignored since
or top and aside the buildings volumetric add-ons.
10 A. Ferrante / Sustainable Cities and Society xxx (2014) xxx–xxx
F ing bu(
tt
tepi
p(cTtatafia
aam
4t
abodeet
draelcq
tfIcb
a
ig. 15. A simulation of top and aside add-ons in the energy retrofitting of an existon the left) and after renovation (right).
hey have the potential of a key added value in terms of social,echnical and economical feasibility.
In this context, energy retrofitting should focus its atten-ion on the roles of energy and environmental re-qualification ofxisting buildings according to socio-oriented and multiculturalerspectives, by a more appropriate use of technological options
n architecture and urban/spatial planning.If the technology has already occupied a main role in the design
rocess, however it is not in the case of a multicultural approachFolke, Hahn, Olson, & Norberg, 2005). In fact, what the modernistsalled ‘Habitat’ was intrinsic to the society they were working for.he project was designed with regards to only one singular habi-at, with one use for society. The functionally oriented approachnd the mono perspective use of architectural building type haveo be considered a past attitude: it is now necessary to shift thenalysis and the research from one singular point of view to multi-old approaches, in order to expand research in architecture toncorporate the voices of many in a user-driven, bottom-up designpproach.
It is therefore necessary to find possible solutions and suggest multi-fold approach that could stimulate the process of renewalccording to a socio-oriented use of technology in urban environ-ents.
.2. A swing approach between formal and informal strategies forhe energy conscious re-design of existing buildings in urban areas
Most of the buildings of European suburbs have been designedccording to modernist principles and concepts and conceived toe universal. Solutions have been applied – with few considerationsn cultural and social characteristics all over Europe, generating, inifferent sites, very similar problems, in brief, the functional ori-nted vision of architecture have produced dull blocks in a dullnvironment (Van Shagen, 2009). Nowadays these buildings are inhe urgent need for the environmental and energy retrofit.
In a complexly structured context where the number ofecision-makers and cultural scenarios overlap, where the tempo-al dimensions and social background of the citizens are dissimilarnd where local and global, physical and virtual dimensions co-xist (Tiazzoldi, Tixier, & Withelaw, 2008) where, finally, it is noonger possible to ignore the direct and indirect relations with theontext, it is necessary to identify design procedures which canuickly adapt to environmental variations and new requirements.
As stated hereupon, succeeding in this endeavour requires morehan getting the engineering right (Webler & Tuler, 2010): moreocus should be placed on the social aspects at community level.n fact, developing more sustainable environment depend upon
Please cite this article in press as: Ferrante, A. Energy retrofit to nearly zclimate. Sustainable Cities and Society (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.101
onsumers’ willingness to engage in greener and more collectiveehaviours (Peattie, 2010).
Since the formal design is necessary to guarantee a structurednd organized process that is called to respond coherently with
ilding block (Corticella District, Bologna). The building in its urban contexts before
current energy and safety regulations/requirements, fixed com-ponents (structural and functional invariants) are needed to beapplied in the (re)-design processes of urban buildings.
On the other hand, a degree of adaptability/flexibility and theadoption of processes engaging directly the inhabitants could offera real solution both to the anonymity and standardization of thesehousing complexes.
The proposed design approach aims at searching a “swingmethod” including both formal and informal strategies. Within thereference case studies, this approach has lead to the search of designtools’ sets that compose the variable formal components in the (re)-design of urban blocks, to combine the complementary nature ofthe standard and planned design with the variability required bythe inhabitants; the resulting urban design overcomes the currentstandard distinction between informal settlements and planneddevelopments.
The goal is to re-interpret an evolutionist approach to improvesocio-technical environments in the specific contexts of urbanplanning, collaborative learning, and collaborative software design.The main goal is to offer an appropriate technology to activate‘social creativity’ and to make the voice of many heard.
4.3. Expandable architecture, energy and cost benefits ofvolumetric addition in energy retrofitting actions
Multi-layered components and stratification of elements withinthe building envelopes are presented as an effective solutionin the energy retrofitting of existing building stocks in urbanenvironments: because of the increasingly higher environmen-tal awareness on relentless use of land, high consumption energyuse and emissions into the atmosphere resulting from unsustain-able development, nowadays wider and deeper attention is givento energy conservation for technological solutions in architecturewhose purpose is to generate energy-efficient projects. But sus-tainability in architecture also implies the achievement of users’comfort and needs, while using minimal amounts of energy andenvironmental resources.
The necessary integration between the need for retrofitting andthe opportunity to assume a wider rehabilitation process scenariohave found further pilot experiments in the energy retrofit designof the public residential district in Corticella PEEP (Bologna); withinthis urban context different reference buildings have been used totest and compare four possible energy retrofit options according toa socio-oriented approach.
The different structures that have been studied in the case ofCorticella Bologna show a very high degree of possibilities andcombinations: the design solutions have not been constrained to
ero and socio-oriented urban environments in the Mediterranean6/j.scs.2014.02.001
a simple prefabricated structure, indeed the need of developingmodular and variable solutions has lead to a wide set of possi-ble urban configurations. The improvement in terms of energyperformance and structural safety of the intervention have been
A. Ferrante / Sustainable Cities and Society xxx (2014) xxx–xxx 11
F s a fut
ia
–tctipifat
aoeibb
o
rzettws
ig. 16. Structure frame (on the left) and abacus of modular technological options aypology.
nvestigated and have proved the high potential of expandablerchitecture also in a cost-effective analysis.
The further design research in the neighbourhood of Bologna Quartiere Corticella – has been planned in collaboration withhe Sociology Department at UniBO. The research goal of thease studies is to study the possible evolution of the buildings inhese specific post-war districts, by visioning and simulating hownhabitants could take over the architectural role in the future andossibly transform their own houses. In this context ethnography
s not considered as a mere techniques’ toolbox directly borrowedrom Social sciences; on the contrary, design rhetoric refers to thebility and the purpose of design thinking to engage and fosterransformations.
In Corticella, there is a high percentage of elderly people and continuously increasing number of young couple becoming partf the community. The traditional approach for multicultural soci-ty based on an unsubstantiated and narrow perspective would beneffective in these urban contexts, therefore inhabitants shoulde given structural and technological solutions on which they mayase their own personal changes and design processes.
A large abacus of possibilities has been studied starting from therganization of the ground floor plan in different building types.
The functions addressed to each level vary from two or threeoom offices to small shops facing the square. The new organi-ation of the plan tries to bring all the night spaces to face theastern side to enjoy the morning sun and collects the day spaces
Please cite this article in press as: Ferrante, A. Energy retrofit to nearly zclimate. Sustainable Cities and Society (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.101
ogether facing west. The entry is reorganized to let people enterhe apartment directly into the living room to give a warming andelcoming feeling that would enrich the quality of the communal
paces.
nction of users’ expectations and requirements. Corticella case study for the tower
Therefore the expendable spaces are thought of as extensions ofthe existing bedrooms on the east side: whether occupants desirea bigger balcony rather than a loggia or an extension of the exist-ing room, this system will allow people the possibility of choosingthe use of their outside and inside spaces. A variety of obscurantsolutions are proposed: with the proposed system, the house couldeventually turn into a more introverted system to accommodatefamilies who are not familiar with the attitude or the culture of the‘open house’.
The abacus of the possible technological and formal solutions isthe main instrument that should be used to give the inhabitants thepossibility to express their needs within a common order, respec-ting the guidelines of the project. Since the ‘letters’ of this alphabethave been studied as a modular system and can be joined togetherin multiple combinations, the ‘discourse’ that it will produce frominhabitants will have a positive result.
Forecasting the possibility and studying the pattern as a modularsystem, keeping in mind the development of different combina-tions, it is possible to let everybody do what they want with theirhome while still leaving open the possibilities for self expression,without clashing with construction codes and regulations, accord-ing to a metabolic approach (Macguirk, 2011).
In particular, in the district of Corticella, the majority of theblocks are currently characterized by the presence of pillars anda basement level narrow and dark.
Cars are everywhere and block and possible fruition of the
ero and socio-oriented urban environments in the Mediterranean6/j.scs.2014.02.001
street/garden/park level from the pedestrian perspective. Therenewal action has therefore been developed to guarantee a higherdegree of freedom to the inhabitants that will be able to choose thebest fitting solution according to their needs.
12 A. Ferrante / Sustainable Cities and Society xxx (2014) xxx–xxx
buildi
is
sp
blt
Fb
Fig. 17. Combination of additions on the top and aside the
This approach has been applied also to the ground floor level,ncorporating different level of privacy of the collective areas, thustarting from a direct and active participation of the inhabitants.
Fences, borders and limits have been drawn according to theystematic analysis carried on site and the specific desires of theopulation.
Please cite this article in press as: Ferrante, A. Energy retrofit to nearly zclimate. Sustainable Cities and Society (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.101
As Gehl points out, the majority of social residential areas haveeen built according to principles and ideologies that give very
ow priority to outdoor activities, to the connection between dis-ance, intensity, to the closeness in various contact settings has an
ig. 18. Technical study of the structural feasibility to combine additions on the top anduilding block typology.
ngs (and thus new residential units) with fac ade solutions.
interesting parallel in decoding and experiencing cities and cityspaces (Gehl, 2010).
4.4. Tools for bridging information to knowledge towards a“metabolic” design
ero and socio-oriented urban environments in the Mediterranean6/j.scs.2014.02.001
Autonomy in the design or production of space means thatpeople involved in designing and building need to have access toknowledge of design and building processes and components inorder to discern and enact. But at the same time it means that those
aside the buildings (and thus new residential units) with fac ade addictions in the
A. Ferrante / Sustainable Cities and Society xxx (2014) xxx–xxx 13
he sou
paDft&
tinsre
bu
mddce
rha
Fig. 19. Addition of a loggia as one of the possible options in t
rocesses have to be open enough to increase autonomy and adapt-bility in time, instead of limiting it or even turning it impossible.esign here is more related to a means for people to experiment dif-
erent spatial possibilities, so they can evaluate, for example, whereo place the openings, the size of the rooms, etc. (Cattani, Ferrante,
Boiardi, 2012; Cattani, Ferrante, & Mochi, 2011).Thus, it becomes important to go back to the initial analysis on
he user, on the collective spaces of the contest, considering thenter-relation between user and architecture not in static man-ers, looking for universal solution with no time and space, butearching for new dynamic methods and processes that can activelyeply to the changeable nature of the surrounding urban, social andnvironmental contests.
Concepts like durability, adaptability and energy efficiency haveeen increasingly taken into account in the fields of building andrban research.
Especially when considering the high standards and require-ents for the retrofitting actions, one of main goal consist in the
evelopment of long lasting building products, that can adapt toifferent needs and environmental conditions through all their life-ycle and that could guarantee high level of building envelope’snergy performance.
Please cite this article in press as: Ferrante, A. Energy retrofit to nearly zclimate. Sustainable Cities and Society (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.101
Our suburbs, and the current condition of recent buildings, rep-esent a clear evidence that the building techniques and marketas not been able to take in account the further developmentnd changes both in the environment and in the building itself.
th fac ade of a residential unit in the building block typology.
The approach here suggested proposes a reverse methodology:defining the main design principles and parameters accordingto their variability, it is possible to develop a modular systemthat incorporates multiple design solutions where the single com-ponents that can be interwoven, changed or transformed stillguarantee the coherence of the urban configuration in its evolvingprocess.
Thus, the potential adds on will be considered as a result ofcombined ethnographic and end user needs involvement aimed atdelivering forms of customized and variable components of self-expression in operations of energy retrofitting of existing buildingstock, with respect to urban dwellers and users’ expectations.
These additions have been grouped in an abacus of possibilitiesthat will become one of the main design tools for planners andprofessionals involved in the process. The abacus may represent thecommunication instrument between technicians and inhabitantsenriching the possibilities of synergies between the technical andsociological proposed strategies.
To achieve this it is important to consider participatory andsocio-integrated policies already during in the abacus’ definitionphase. Up to six modifications of building envelope for each spanhave been considered in the reference case studies.
ero and socio-oriented urban environments in the Mediterranean6/j.scs.2014.02.001
The abacus (Fig. 16) has been tailored and customized as afunction of different constructive elements and architectural type;the volumetric additions and options (including the zero-optionone = no intervention) have been further combined with different
14 A. Ferrante / Sustainable Cities and Society xxx (2014) xxx–xxx
od
as
toto
5. On going and future research in Athens urban areas
Fs
Fig. 20. South fac ade before (a) and after (b) the retrofit.
ptions of materials, according to the construction and types of theifferent reference buildings.
Furthermore, the possibility to combine add-ons on the top andside the buildings (and thus new residential units) with fac adeolutions have been explored (Figs. 17–19).
The abacus-tool could be even conceived as a “real-time, interac-ive tool” to engage inhabitants and owners in the selection process
Please cite this article in press as: Ferrante, A. Energy retrofit to nearly zclimate. Sustainable Cities and Society (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.101
f the required solutions, giving life to a creative, variable yet con-rolled, self-expressed possibilities within the retrofitting processf urban buildings (Figs. 20–22).
ig. 22. Possible evolution of the facades, abacus of modular design and technological cotudy for tower typology.
Fig. 21. Roof extension (a) and adds-on (b) in the south fac ade of the building afterrenovation.
ero and socio-oriented urban environments in the Mediterranean6/j.scs.2014.02.001
To properly address the objective of low-carbon, zero energyin existing urban environment, we need to consider the buildings
mbinations as a function of users’ expectations and requirements. Corticella case
nd the related open areas as a whole; this is especially true inhe Mediterranean warm regions of the EU, where the snowballingffects of all the buildings and open areas may produce additionalnergy demand in summer season.
Furthermore, this holistic vision of urban energy demand canetter drive urban planning decision and bottom-up, grass-root
nitiatives towards the adoption of alternative residential config-rations/redevelopment of existing urban areas.
On going studies on different areas of Athens are currentlypproaching the feasibility of Zero Energy and zero CO2 emissionetrofitting (ZER) throughout various city areas.
To properly match this objective we are currently developing aodel that spatially depicts the energy of residential urban areas
s a contribution to the mapping of total energy consumption inhe built environment.
This model is based on the discretization of the city into differ-nt homogeneous districts, which would enable the model to besed for different case studies. Discretization of the city is a very
mportant objective, especially considering the possible intersec-ions with existing plan at Municipal/Regional level. The averagenergy Consumption (EC) currently available in existing regula-ion tools will be combined with the large amount of available dataSantamouris et al., 2007) and referred to the batch of the buildingsnd the open areas, thus considering the selected urban areas ashe basic units for investigation of both energy and social issues inhe urban environment.
A consistent part of the major Athens area has been mapped and significant urban contexts have been selected for further investi-ation. Given the availability of data, measurements and buildingype descriptions, the urban area of Agia Varvara and Peristeri haveeen selected. The high variability of building types will be usedo predict the energy consumption in the urban canyons of theuilding in the Central Athens area.
In fact it will be necessary to study and evaluate the energyemand/potential of the urban areas; this will be achieved accord-
ng to the design methodology previously illustrated.We will design – in different steps of actions – retrofitted sce-
arios in order to achieve zero energy, socially inclusive solutionsy means of an inter-disciplinary research approach. The studyill develop, perform and evaluate different possible solutions to
chieve a sustainable and spatially localized distribution of energy,y means of technologies to be diffusely integrated in the urbanuildings.
Thus, it will be possible to determine the energy saving potentialf the urban canyons. This will be achieved by designing:
(i) alternative urban scenarios by means of technological build-ing components/materials and volumes aimed at reducing thebuilding heating and cooling loads;
ii) alternative urban scenarios integrating renewable energysources in the urban building envelope and in the outdoor urbansets as well.
t will be therefore possible to determine the final scenario tochieve zero energy and zero CO2 emission within urban environ-ents in winter and summer conditions. The final scenario will
ake into account the mutual effects arising from passive and activeystems.
. Conclusions
Please cite this article in press as: Ferrante, A. Energy retrofit to nearly zclimate. Sustainable Cities and Society (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.101
The paper aims at presenting alternative ways of investigating,lanning, creating and managing sustainable urban environments,lso by exploring the possibility to use energy retrofitting optionss a social form of integration; according to a local bottom up
PRESS Society xxx (2014) xxx–xxx 15
approach, the research study aims at design a series of possibledistributed actions to involve business investors, public bodies andlocal communities in the common efforts of achieving the decreaseof energy consumption up to zero carbon emission in localizedurban environments.
The connecting theme of the proposed research path is thatthe crises of energy supply and global warming need to be tack-led with an interdisciplinary, both socio-technical and engineeringapproach.
In particular, with respect to the previous research studiesalready developed on the topic, the design study and the per-formed technical–economical evaluation demonstrate that energyefficiency in residential urban complex can be considered as anextraordinary opportunity to restore environmental, social andurban quality.
The techno-economical feasibility assessment, the proper iden-tification of the types of intervention and their combinationin possible scenarios must be investigated and estimated on acase-by-case basis, with an effective and interdisciplinary designapproach integrating in a whole system the socio-technical aspectsinto the feasibility study of economical and architectural issues.
As stated before, environmental sustainability and energy effi-ciency in urban settings are more than technical problems.
In this context, a renewed role of architects and planners is whatis need for a real shift in the building practice. In fact, instead of try-ing to structure the informal through the architectural productionbased on authorship, architects should consider the users’ perspec-tive and their need as self-organised processes of negotiation.
This strategy can help in engaging a real shift from the currentpractice towards a social sustainable process where inhabitants anddesigners work together to find effective and real solutions to socialand technical questions. The urban and technological strategieshere presented suggest a multi-fold approach that could stimulatethe process of energy renewal according to a socio-oriented use ofarchitectural tools in urban environments.
Formal and informal should therefore coexist and represent thetwo poles between which the design process should constantlybe reviewed to achieve transition paths towards sustainable andcarbon zero urban communities.
7. Further research
Therefore we foresee at least two/three research areas for fur-ther development of the proposed research path, in a long-termstrategy.
With particular reference to the social and urban sphere, it isworth mentioning that energy retrofitting interventions like theones here presented may be assumed as the punctual nodes of alonger term re-planning; in fact, small-scale interventions shouldbe seen as key nodes to promote local involvement, rebuild localidentity, arouse urban interest and raise human consciousness(energy consumption awareness, cultural and market exchanges,etc.).
In the search for a new spatial narrative, urban strategy poli-cies should involve and motivate urban dwellers to discover and“conquer” the urban spaces; participative approach scenarios haveto be considered to foster synergy between urban dwellers andenergy saving/energy production tools; thus buildings, open areasand streets may be conceived as if they were new “open livingrooms” within urban districts.
Further opportunity on research should focus on the feasibility
ero and socio-oriented urban environments in the Mediterranean6/j.scs.2014.02.001
of a system network re-reconnecting the different urban areas, thatis testing the potential of the smart canyons/areas to generate othersmart areas, thus creating a potential network in the city as a whole.This reconnection would be strategic for the construction of urban
edestrian greenways, as they may function also as a catalyst inrban fruition.
To do this a large set of possible inconsistencies have to beddressed: new mobility schemes, parking areas creation, study ofpace syntax (enhancing the comprehension on the powerful influ-nce on human behaviour by spatial layout of buildings and urbanlaces, etc.).
In particular, it is important to understand and study the pos-ible strategies to support and foster the creation of local urbanommunities, involving them in an evidence-based approach tohe spatial layouts aiming at producing safe and vibrant places forocial, economic and environmental capital (since poor layouts riskunctional failure, loss of investment and social harm).
Thus it is necessary to combine social, safety and energy issues,ntegrating technical and architectural feasibility of zero energy andow carbon areas with the creation of self-controlled safe environ-
ents in emerging new forms of urban communities.In search for new transition pathways towards zero-carbon
ities, in place of large or incremental development plans, weay envisage a series of techno-social-oriented operations, which
an however be conceived as the punctual nodes of a long terme-planning, as they have the potential to generate new identityrocesses in the city as a whole.
Our hope is that (. . .) we can shift to a culture ofsustainability–economic, social and environmental–and thatthe motto (. . .) “Better city, better life” can become a realityfor the next generation (Baer, EU Report World and EuropeanSustainable Cities, 2010).
cknowledgements
The paper here presented is part of the project URBAN RECRE-TION: Energy efficient retrofit for carbon zero and socio-orientedrban environments, project n. 326060 FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IEF,unded by the European Commission within the frame of the Fund-ng scheme Marie Curie Actions – Intra-European Fellowships (IEF).he author also acknowledge all the master and doctorate studentsn Engineering at the Department of Architecture (Elena Cattani,lide Sensini, Martina Iafrate, Pamela Iannuccelli, etc.) for theirrecious help in the production of data and drawings.
eferences
kbari, H. (2002). Shade trees reduce building energy use and CO2 emissions frompower plants. Environmental Pollution, 116, S119–S126.
itan, A. (1992). The high climatic quality of the city of future. Atmospheric Environ-ment, 26B, 313–329.
rown, H. S., & Vergragt, P. J. (2008). Bounded socio-technical experiments as agentsof systemic change: The case of a zero-energy residential building. TechnologicalForecasting & Social Change, 75, 107–130.
ulkeley, H. (2010). Cities and the governing of climate change. Annual Review ofEnvironment and Resources, 35, 229–253.
ürer, M. J., & Wüstenhagen, R. (2009). Which renewable energy policy is a ven-ture capitalist’s best friend? Empirical evidence from a survey of internationalcleantech investors. Energy Policy, 37, 4997–5006.
uttstädt, M., Sachsen, T., Ketzler, G., Merbitz, H., & Schneider, C. (2010). Urbantemperature distribution and detection of influencing factors in urban structure.Hamburg/Lubeck: ISUF; International Seminar on Urban Form.
attani, E., Ferrante, A., & Boiardi, L. (2012, June). A learning from informal approachfor socio-oriented and sustainable built environments. In SASBE proceedings,smart and sustainable built environments Sao Paulo, Brazil.
attani, E., Ferrante, A., & Mochi, G. (2011). CASABLANCA 1950–UTRECHT 2011: Selfexpression, adaptability and flexibility for the urban renewal and typological requal-ification of the post-war district of Kanaleneiland (Master thesis). Utrecht, NL:University of Bologna.
ECODHAS. (2013, March). POWER HOUSE, nearly ZERO energy CHALLENGE, Progress
Please cite this article in press as: Ferrante, A. Energy retrofit to nearly zclimate. Sustainable Cities and Society (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.101
report.ECODHAS Housing Europe’s Observatory (2011, October). Housing Europe Review
2012. The nuts and bolts of European social housing systems, Brussels (Belgium).ity of Copenhagen. (2009). Copenhagen climate plan. 1599 Copenhagen V: The Tech-
nical and Environmental Administration, City Hall.
PRESS Society xxx (2014) xxx–xxx
Dakwale, V. A., Ralegaonkar, R. V., & Mandavgane, S. (2011, December). Improvingenvironmental performance of building through increased energy efficiency: Areview (Review). Sustainable Cities and Society, 1(4), 211–218.
Energy Cities. (2012). Background paper related to Energy Cities’ position paper on theEuropean Commission’s legislative proposals for the EU Cohesion Policy 2014–2020.
EU Commission – Directorate General for Regional Policy, Luxembourg. (2011). Citiesof tomorrow: Challenges, visions, ways forward (112 pp.). Luxembourg: Publica-tions Office of the European Union., ISBN 978-92-79-21307-6.
EU (Commission of) Communities (2009). Design as a driver of user-centred innova-tion, Brussels, 7.4.2009, SEC(2009)501.
EU Parliament. (2010). Directive 2010/31/EU of the EU P of 19 May 2010 on the energyperformance of buildings.
EU Report. (2010). World and European Sustainable Cities. Insights from EU research,Directorate-General for Research, Directorate L, Science, economy and society,Unit L.2. Research in the Economic, Social sciences and Humanities. EuropeanCommission, Bureau SDME 07/34, B-1049 Brussels. Socio-economic Sciences andHumanities; EUR 24353 EN.
EU Report, Housing Statistics in the European Union (2010).Ferrante, A. (2011). Technical innovation in socio-oriented urban environments for
transitional pathways towards low carbon cities. A conceptual framework. InISUF proceedings, international seminar on urban form Montreal.
Ferrante, A., & Cascella, M. T. (2011). Zero energy balance and zero on-site CO2
emission housing development in the Mediterranean climate. Journal Energy& Buildings, 43, 2002–2010.
Fintikakis, N., Gaitani, N., Santamouris, M., Assimakopoulos, D. N., Assimakopoulos,M., Fintikaki, M., et al. (2011). Bioclimatic design of open public spaces in thehistoric centre of Tirana, Albania. Sustainable Cities and Society, 1, 54–62.
Ferrante, A., & Mihalakakou, G. (2001). The influence of water, green and selectedpassive techniques on the rehabilitation of historical industrial buildings inurban areas. Journal Solar Energy, 70(3), 245–253.
Ferrante, A., Mihalakakou, G., & Odolini, C. (1997). The rehabilitation investigationof a historical urban area. Renewable Energy, 10(4), 577–584.
Ferrante, A., Mihalakakou, G., & Santamouris, M. (1999). Natural devices in the urbanspaces to improve indoor air climate and air quality of existing buildings. InInternational Conference of Indoor Air 99 Edinburgh, Scotland, 8–13 August 1999.
Ferrante, A., Mochi, G., Gulli, R., & Cattani, E. (2011). Retrofitting and adaptability inurban areas. Procedia Engineering. www.elsevier.com/locate/procedia
Ferrante, A., Santamouris, M., Koronaki, I., Mihalakakou, G., & Papanikolau, N. (1998).The design parameters’ contribution to Improve urban microclimate: An exten-sive analysis within the frame of POLIS Research Project in Athens. In The jointmeeting of the 2nd Eu conference on energy performance and indoor climate inbuildings and 3rd international conference IAQ Ventilation and Energy Conserva-tion, Lyon, 19–21 November 1998.
Ferrante, A., & Semprini, G. (2011). Building energy retrofitting in urban areas. ProcediaEngineering. www.elsevier.com/locate/procedia
Folke, C., Hahn, T., Olsson, P., & Norberg, J. (2005). Adaptive governance of social-ecological systems. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 30, 441–473.
Giannopoulou, K., Livada, I., Santamouris, M., Saliari, M., Assimakopoulos, M., &Caouris, Y. G. (2010, February). On the characteristics of the summer urban heatisland in Athens, Greece. Sustainable Cities and Society, 1(1), 16–28.
Garniatia, L., Owena, A., Kruijsena, J., Ishadamyb, Y., & Wibisonoc, I. (2013, October).Interface between appropriate technology and sustainable energy policy in vul-nerable societies. Journal of Sustainable Cities and Society (in press).
Gehl, J. (2010). Cities for people. Washington, DC: Island Press.Guy, S. (2006). Designing urban knowledge: Competing perspectives on energy and
buildings. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 24, 645–659.Heiskanen, E., Johnson, M., Robinson, S., Vadovics, E., & Saastamoinen, M. (2010).
Low-carbon communities as a context for individual behavioural change. EnergyPolicy, 38, 7586–7595.
Hernandez, P., & Kenny, P. (2010). From net energy to zero energy buildings: Defininglife cycle zero energy buildings (LC-ZEB). Energy and Buildings, 42, 815–821.
Karlessi, T., Santamouris, M., Apostolakis, K., Synefa, A., & Livada, I. (2009). Develop-ment and testing of thermochromic coatings for buildings and urban structures.Solar Energy, 83, 538–551.
Leschke, J. (2013). Labour market impacts of the global economic crisis and policyresponses in Europe. Janine and Andrew Watt, European Trade Union Institute.http://www.socialwatch.eu/wcm/documents/labour market impacts andpolicy responses.pdf Accessed August 2013
Macguirk, J. (2011, April 21). PREVI: The Metabolist utopia, architecture report fromLima. In Domus Magazine.
Marsh, G. (2002, May–June). Zero energy buildings, key role for RE at UK HousingDevelopment. Refocus.
Martin Chris, J., Taylor Peter, G., Upham, P., Ghiasi, G., Bale Catherine, S. E., James, H.,et al. (2014, February). Energy in low carbon cities and social learning: A processfor defining priority research questions with UK stakeholders. Sustainable Citiesand Society, 10, 149–160.
Masini, A., & Menichetti, E. (2010). The impact of behavioural factors in the renew-able energy investment decision making process: Conceptual framework andempirical findings. Energy 40Policy, 40, 1–10.
Meyer, A. (2010). A Copenhagen climate treaty, Version 1. 0. Karlsruhe.Mithraratne, N. (2009). Roof-top wind turbines for microgeneration in urban houses
ero and socio-oriented urban environments in the Mediterranean6/j.scs.2014.02.001
in New Zealand. Energy and Buildings, 41, 1013–1018.Mulugetta, Y., Jackson, T., & van der Horst, D. (2010). Carbon reduction at community
scale. Energy Policy, 38, 7541–7545.Peattie, K. (2010). Green consumption: Behaviour and norms. Annual Review of Envi-
icciardelli, F., & Polimeno, S. (2006). Some characteristics of the wind flow in thelower Urban Boundary Layer. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerody-namics, 94, 815–832.
antamouris, M. (2007). Heat island research in Europe – The state of the art.Advances Building Energy Research, 1(1), 123–150.
antamouris, M. (2001). Energy and climate in the urban built environment. London:James & James Science Publishers Ltd.
antamouris, M. (2012). Cooling the cities – A review of reflective and green roofmitigation technologies to fight heat island and improve comfort in urban envi-ronments. Solar Energy, 1–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2012.07.003
antamouris, M., Kapsis, K., Korres, D., Livada, I., Pavlou, C., & Assimakopoulos,
Please cite this article in press as: Ferrante, A. Energy retrofit to nearly zclimate. Sustainable Cities and Society (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.101
M. N. (2007). On the relation between the energy and social charac-teristics of the residential sector. Journal of Energy and Buildings, 39,893–905.
antamouris, M., Papanikolau, N., Koronakis, I., Livada, I., & Asimakopoulos, D.(1999). Thermal and air flow characteristics in a deep pedestrian canyon
PRESS Society xxx (2014) xxx–xxx 17
under hot weather conditions. Journal of Atmospheric Environment, 33,4503–4521.
Synnefa, A., Santamouris, M., & Apostolakis, K. (2007). On the development, opticalproperties and thermal performance of cool coloured coatings for the urbanenvironment. Solar Energy, 81, 488–497.
Tiazzoldi, C., Tixier, N., & Withelaw, C. (2008). Applied responsive devices emerg-ing possibilities of testing and simulation methods and techniques. ContemporaryConstruction Teaching.
Van Shagen. (2009). VAN SCHAGEN ARCHITEKTEN, De bestaande stad als uitdaging– De methode Van Schagen. SUN Trancity.
Webler, T., & Tuler, S. P. (2010). Getting the engineering right is not always enough:
ero and socio-oriented urban environments in the Mediterranean6/j.scs.2014.02.001
Researching the human dimensions of the new energy technologies. EnergyPolicy, 38, 2690–2691.
Yamashita, S. (1996). Detailed structure of heat island phenomena from movingobservations from electric tram-cars in Metropolitan Tokyo. Atmospheric Envi-ronment, 33(3), 429–435.
