Speaker
Description
Urban spaces in cities are currently facing a dual challenge: on one side, a sustainable (re)-design of buildings and neighbourhoods for reducing energy consumption and carbon emission; on the other side, the restraint of soil sealing and urban sprawl for preserving the limited natural resources and the health of ecosystems. In this framework, the concept of densification plays a key role within the planning and strategy-making processes and influences the design principles of buildings and urban spaces.
In parallel, and in partial conflict with the need of limiting urban sprawl and soil sealing, theories and practices related to zero carbon and Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) are currently considered as a possible response to the climate challenge. Indeed, these practices usually imply new constructions in available areas, green sites or spaces that could be transformed into environmental resources. Implementing PEDs in the contexts of our existing and consolidated built environments would be an ideal solution that combines sustainable interventions without increasing soil sealing. However, even if technically feasible, this is extremely challenging as it involves transformations which deeply affect the current patterns of existing spaces conceived and planned in a notably different epoch: most significantly, it affects the existing communities of citizens living in those environments. For this reason, there is a growing attention on developing a better understanding of people responses to renewable sustainable practices and energy related technologies.
Now the interactions of urban dwellers with buildings, open spaces, and the whole systems of interconnections - including transport, mobility, and accessibility between citizens and their neighbourhoods - need to be deeply re-thought from alternative perspectives.
The experience of design activities carried out by the University of Bologna in collaboration with the Municipality well represents the presented approach aimed at achieving neutral PEDs in inclusive sustainable cities.
