As part of CARISMED, the project funded by ENI CBC MED that promotes integrated solutions for the reuse and energy efficiency of buildings in six Mediterranean countries, the Italian context was also analysed.
In Italy there are more than 24 million units for residential use, but no data is available on their actual occupancy rate or detailed information on their construction characteristics. However, it is estimated that 60 per cent of the buildings were constructed between 1946 and 1990, while the remaining 40 per cent is divided rather evenly between buildings constructed before 1919, buildings constructed in the period between the two World Wars and buildings after the 1990s. The regions of Southern Italy – and Sicily in particular – have a larger number of strongly degraded structures than the central and northern regions.
In this scenario, two examples of best practice in sustainable building stand out.
The Cenni di Cambiamento complex in Via Cenni in Milan is one of the first social housing projects in Italy. It was financed by the Real Estate Fund of Lombardy and designed by the Rossi Prodi Associati architecture studio. Completed in 2013, it consists of 122 energy class A flats in a tower building constructed with sustainable materials and practices, including in particular: a load-bearing system in wood that guarantees the structure’s flexibility, ease of maintenance, and the possibility of reusing and recycling the material in the future; the presence of green areas on the roofs and in the pedestrian spaces, which reduce overheating and improve air quality; and a design that favours natural ventilation and optimisation of solar radiation.
Within the complex there is also a multifunctional space, Urban Cultural Sea, which encourages social inclusion and strengthens the sense of community through shared activities such as festivals and playful events, also aimed at children. In 2017, it won the European Collaborative Housing Award, dedicated to innovative and inclusive projects capable of inspiring public policies at local and international level.
Similarly, Ravenna’s Darsena hosts Lotto 4, a series of residences for low-income families designed by studio Cino Zucchi Architetti, part of a large urban renewal project of the city’s waterfront. The complex was built with a focus on energy efficiency, optimising the building’s location and orientation to optimise natural lighting and temperature management in winter and summer. Most of the energy needed is provided by solar panels on the roof and terraces. The façades are thermally insulated and only biodegradable and/or reusable materials were used in the construction, such as stone, wood and plaster of natural origin.
