PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The construction sector has a heavy environmental impact both for producing the raw materials and for disposing of the wastes (more than 50% of wastes produced in EU are made by the building industry). An architectural concept which can respect the environment, using recyclable materials, recovering the used materials in the demolition phases and introducing new ecological technologies in the plants (such as, e.g., low energy consumption plants) will be welcome. Bio-architecture is a new methodological approach to the architectural designing and construction. This new approach consists of taking into account, as far as possible, all the environment and health (both physiological and psychological) problems in order to reduce the environmental impact, the energy consumption and improve the quality of life.
OBJECTIVES
The project is aimed at demonstrating the feasibility and at promoting the bio-architecture as environment-friendly solution to the housing problems at a low cost. An old school recovery and enlargement was chosen by the beneficiary as a pilot example. The project consists of designing and constructing the school with the new methodological approach. It intends to be a “Pilot Activity” for spreading Bio-Architecture. Description In order to reduce the environmental impact and the energy costs of the building industry it is imperative to build new bio-environmentally compatible buildings: by means of a pilot activity site in a school building we intend to prove that it is possible to renovate and build with both traditional and innovative bio-environmentally compatible materials and techniques. The direct beneficiary is the Municipality of Rossiglione, owner of the building which will be renovated. The indirect beneficiaries are the scholastic users, the inhabitants of the Comunità Montana Valle Stura di Orba, the small and medium enterprises. The partners are Regione Liguria (Environment, Building and Energy), Provincial Council of Genoa and University of Architecture of Genoa-Polis Department. The phases of implementation (30 months) will produce the following results in addition to a repeatable work method: 1)bio-building design of renovation and completion; 2)pilot building site for the vocational training of workers and check cost accounting; 3)monitoring of costs/benefits of the building for seven months; 4)spreading of results: multimedia documentation, exhibitions, international conference. Final products: creation of an "eco-desk" with data bank, web site, user manual of the project, bilingual brochure, data base on eco-building, seminaries on bio-materials and bio-techniques, publication of guide lines and international conference at the end of the project. The aim of the project is to promote and spread bio-architecture as a new environmental approach to the housing problem. By means of a pilot building site in a school building we intend to prove that it is possible to renovate and build with both traditional and innovative bio-environmentally compatible materials and techniques with low costs. The phases of implementation will produce the following results in addition to a repeteable work method: 1)bio-building design of renovation and completion; 2)pilot building site for the vocational training of workers and check cost accounting; 3)monitoring of costs/benefits of the building for seven months; 4)spreading of results: multimedia documentation, exhibitions, international conference. Final products: creation of an "eco-desk" with data bank, web site, user manual of the project, bilingual brochure. A group of observers interested in using and spreading the results will consist of the representatives of Regione Liguria (Environment, Building) and of the Consortium for management of Expo Vallestura and of users of the web site. Expected results The expected results are: · renovation of the existing school building and construction of a new addition to it, through the use of Bio-Architecture, both during design and building processes; · creation of a pilot building site with public demonstrations of Bio-Architecture procedures to craftsmen; · costs/benefits monitoring; · dissemination through multimedia documents, specialised exhibits, international symposium
RESULTS
The project objectives have been substantially achieved: - the indoor and outdoor emissions (gaseous, electromagnetic, acoustic, etc.) are lower than they were previously - the energy consumption is also lower than before the re-construction. The costs are higher than it was foreseen, mainly because of the long and strong controversy with the construction enterprise, but the energy and waste saving allows for a positive NPV (net present value). However the positive NPV isn’t sufficient to recover the higher investment in comparison with the traditional way of constructing. The reason is that the costs are higher than it was foreseen. We can consider the results as positive and the payment request acceptable. The environmental policy and legislation can be improved by the project’s results, because a positive conclusion of a bio-architectural construction can induce other actors to follow the new way. The innovation consists exactly of the bio-architectural design and construction which involves a strong environmental improvement in the construction field. In fact health of inhabitants, energy saving, lower indoor and outdoor emissions, lower electric and magnetic field, etc. are the main results of the new way of constructing. The project demonstrated that a bio-architecture is possible, although with a bit higher cost than the traditional one. A diffusion of the new way of constructing is possible. The main socio-economic effects are connected to the population health: the avoided external costs have been demonstrated to be greater than the internal-direct costs. Some problems still exist: the high cost of the new way of construction. But we can foresee that a diffusion of the new way could decrease the costs in a near future The project continued after its planned end-date until completing a-year monitoring phase, from July 2005 to July 2006. Real data demosntrated that bio-architectural design can also be favourable as for external running costs. Infact, the real consumption figures resulted to be lower than the predicted ones, by 10% and 20%, respectively, for thermal power and electric power demands. The sustainability of the project consists mainly of subscribing contracts with the construction enterprises which permit an actual new construction way without continuous controversy. In other terms it is necessary to create a new mentality and culture in the construction enterprises. The project objectives have been substantially achieved: - the indoor and outdoor emissions (gaseous, electromagnetic, acoustic, etc.) are lower than they were previously - the energy consumption is also lower than before the re-construction. The costs are higher than it was foreseen, mainly because of the long and strong controversy with the construction enterprise, but the energy and waste saving allows for a positive NPV (net present value). However the positive NPV isn’t sufficient to recover the higher investment in comparison with the traditional way of constructing. The reason is that the costs are higher than it was foreseen. We can consider the results as positive and the payment request acceptable. The environmental policy and legislation can be improved by the project’s results, because a positive conclusion of a bio-architectural construction can induce other actors to follow the new way. The innovation consists exactly of the bio-architectural design and construction which involves a strong environmental improvement in the construction field. In fact health of inhabitants, energy saving, lower indoor and outdoor emissions, lower electric and magnetic field, etc. are the main results of the new way of constructing. The project demonstrated that a bio-architecture is possible, although with a bit higher cost than the traditional one. A diffusion of the new way of constructing is possible. The main socio-economic effects are connected to the population health: the avoided external costs have been demonstrated to be greater than the internal-direct costs. Some problems still exist: the high cost of the new way of construction. But we can foresee that a diffusion of the new way could decrease the costs in a near future The project continued after its planned end-date until completing a-year monitoring phase, from July 2005 to July 2006. Real data demosntrated that bio-architectural design can also be favourable as for external running costs. Infact, the real consumption figures resulted to be lower than the predicted ones, by 10% and 20%, respectively, for thermal power and electric power demands. The sustainability of the project consists mainly of subscribing contracts with the construction enterprises which permit an actual new construction way without continuous controversy. In other terms it is necessary to create a new mentality and culture in the construction enterprises.