TECNOLOGIE PER LA PROGETTAZIONE SOSTENIBILE
Academic Year 2024/2025 - Teacher: GIANLUCA RODONO'Expected Learning Outcomes
The subject of the course is the design of sustainable architecture, i.e. architecture that combines formal quality and expressive coherence with adequate performance in terms of functionality, safety, well-being and comfort. The design of sustainable architecture must also aim to reduce the impact of construction on ecosystem resources throughout the building's life cycle.
The course’s aim is to deepen the knowledge of contemporary construction processes, to address the issue of the building feasibility and the environmental sustainability of an architectural work.Course Structure
Required Prerequisites
Attendance of Lessons
Detailed Course Content
The subject of the course is the design of sustainable architecture, i.e. architecture that combines formal quality and expressive coherence with adequate performance in terms of functionality, safety, well-being and comfort. The design of sustainable architecture must also aim to reduce the impact of construction on ecosystem resources throughout the building's life cycle.
The course’s aim is to deepen the knowledge of contemporary construction processes, to address the issue of the building feasibility and the environmental sustainability of an architectural work.
The course specifically develops the topics below.
1. Evolution of sustainable development
Sustainable approach to the design of the built environment. Demographic aspects and land consumption. Energy consumption of buildings and environmental impact.
Revival of the local constructive culture, bioclimatic architecture, bio-architecture, ecological architecture, sustainable architecture.
2. Principles of sustainable design, with specific regard to the Mediterranean climate
Analysis of macro and microclimatic factors and of the morphology of the building area.
Form and orientation of buildings. Albedo.
Use of vegetation to control solar radiation, wind speed and direction, relative humidity.
"Passive" and "active" heating and cooling systems.
Architectural integration of renewable energy source systems.
Overview of the functional distribution criteria of residential buildings. Positioning, insulation, and solar shading of windows.
Advantages of massive walls for the thermal comfort of buildings in Mediterranean climate.
Technological solutions for the reduction of thermal bridges.
Green roofs and green walls.
3. Passive House standard, on zero energy buildings, on the energy certification
Introduction to Passivhaus standard and to zero-energy and zero-emission buildings (ZEB, nearly ZEB, net ZEB).
Energy certification of buildings in Italy.
4. Use of renewable and sustainable energy sources in construction
Introduction to the most widespread renewable and sustainable energy sources in the construction sector, at building or neighborhood level (solar, wind, geothermal, biomass energy). Pre-dimensioning of solar panels.
5. Dry construction systems and processes
Review of the main "dry" systems and construction methods currently used in the construction sector. Advantages of the selective demolition of buildings.
6. Principles and tools of algorithmic design
Advantages of using parameters in the design process: moving from additive to associative logic. Introduction to algorithmic design with Grasshopper for Rhino and environmental and energy modelling with Ladybug and Honeybee.
7. Parametric design and sustainability of buildings
How to carry out detailed analyses of climate data and produce interactive climate graphics that support decision-making during the early stages of environmentally informed design. Create, simulate, and visualise energy models using OpenStudio for energy informed design. Parametric design tools for optimising building components on thermal comfort.
8. Industry 4.0 and sustainability
Introduction to Industry 4.0 technologies with a focus on the construction sector (additive manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, sensors, robots, advanced materials, big data, internet of things).
9. Evaluation of the environmental sustainability of buildings
Environmentally friendly construction materials and components. Embodied energy. Introduction to life cycle assessment in buildings (LCA). The ITACA protocol.
Design activities
1. MS Power Point presentation of an example of sustainable architecture.
During the first month, the students (in groups of two) will have to select and analyse in detail an example of sustainable architecture (renovation or new construction, residential or possibly tertiary), highlighting its main characteristics, main advantages, and possible criticalities, especially in relation to the Mediterranean climate.
The results of this activity will be illustrated with an MS Power Point presentation.
Accompany the presentation with adequate graphic and photographic documentation, sketches, drawings, and construction details, with explanatory captions.
The final file, with a PPT or PPTX extension, must be uploaded to Teams by a date to be determined by the lecturer (April 2025). The presentation will be shown to all colleagues and the lecturer on a date to be set by the lecturer (April 2025) (presentation duration: 8 minutes).
2. Design exercise: design of a construction unit using low-cost and low-tech construction technologies.
Starting from the beginning of April a second design exercise will be assigned, in which the students, in groups of three (to be defined also depending on the students’ number), will experiment with sustainable construction technologies for the design of a construction unit, with building technologies and climate context assigned by the lecturers. The construction technology tested will be validated with the realisation of a full-scale prototype by the students in collaboration with selected building companies and manufacturer.
Whenever possible as part of the course, the lecturers will organise guided tours to construction sites or companies producing building materials and components, participation in conferences or trade fairs.
Textbook Information
Slides illustrated by the lecturer (posted on MS Teams, "Lecture slides" folder) and lecture notes.
We also recommend consulting the DETAIL magazine and the UTET and The Plan atlases, available at the DICAr library.
Where necessary, further bibliography and/or technical documentation will be uploaded onto MS Teams.Course Planning
Subjects | Text References | |
---|---|---|
1 | For each programme’s topic, the lecturer will provide slides as teaching support | For each programme’s topic, the lecturer will provide slides as teaching support |
Learning Assessment
Learning Assessment Procedures
The exam will consist of an oral interview and will focus on the topics of the lectures. The assessment will be based on the following criteria: level of knowledge of the topics, expressive ability and language property, ability to link the various topics of the programme, ability to apply the knowledge to concrete cases also by means of freehand drawings of construction details.
The grade will consider both the outcome of the aforementioned oral interview and the assessment of the design activities, which will be carried out by all students during the course. The assessment of the exercises is based on the following criteria: completeness, correctness, originality, and accuracy of the work. These exercises must be completed within a week or so of the end of the course (the exact dates will be indicated well in advance by the lecturer) and the assessment will be group-based. Each member of the group will be free to take the examination independently of the other colleagues in their group.
Procedure for registering for an exam session: booking on the university website.
At least eight exam sessions are scheduled during the year.Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises
The Itaca protocol.
Energy production systems from renewable sources.