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The COVID-19 pandemic required the implementation of restrictions in the transport sector, changing the movement habits of users and, at the same time, highlighting the importance of creating a flexible transport system aimed at guaranteeing an uninterrupted supply of goods and people in any event. In the last decade, the pace at which sustainable and resilient mobility strategies were developed grew significantly due to the spread of technologies (such as ITS systems) and digital platforms related to Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS). These strategies might improve the overall efficiency of the transport system and reduce dependence on private cars in urban area. Moreover, the development of the demand responsive transport (DRT) is one of the solutions for planning end-to-end travel according to the transport needs. Actually DRT, such as the other shared modes, appears more convenient and capable to turn private car superfluous, reducing traffic congestion and noise and atmospheric pollution levels. After a review of the state of the art in literature, this paper shows the results of a descriptive and a preliminary analysis of DRT services in Italy. In particular, in the studied areas, the authors detected the type of service given and its national displacement, the category of users, the kind of stops, the fleet of vehicles and the presence of shared mobility services. Finally, the authors assessed the possibility to include these services within the Maas platforms suggesting some possible strategies for optimizing the implementation of intelligent mobility systems at Italian national level.

Public authorities address issues related to urban maintenance management on a daily basis. Maintenance is vital for preserving efficient architectural and functional quality, but the economic resources that can be invested in it are increasingly limited. Thus, authorities tend to carry out maintenance works only when effective emergency situations occur. On the contrary, adopting a preventive maintenance plan would allow a better management of the available budget and savings of resources. The paper aims to present a methodology to optimize maintenance costs by integrating GIS and BIM systems in order to create a City Information Model (CIM). It is meant to optimize management and monitoring of urban maintenance works assisting public authorities in their effort in making a more efficient use of the economic resources allocated.

All over the world the e-mobility phenomenon is expanding, both on the supply and demand side. Leading global car manufacturers have introduced electric models at increasingly competitive prices and many people are interested in benefits and cost-effectiveness that the new technology could bring them. Even if from March to June 2020, due to the COVID-19 mobility restrictions, sales of electric cars have fallen below 2019's levels, in the last few months the rate of sales recovered strongly. Governments of various countries, in compliance with EU directives, have introduced strict rules to reduce CO2 emission. For the same purpose, to increase the demand for private electric vehicles they are providing incentives and subsidies to encourage EV sales. The paper focuses on private electric vehicles total costs and investigates the European and United Kingdom tax benefits and purchase incentives. The aim is to understand how the demand growth is related with the policies of the European countries by analyzing existing data referred to all EU member states. Whether subsidies policies prove insufficient to achieve the set objectives, it will be appropriate to plan educational strategies to promote environmentally sustainable habits for citizens.

Local Public Transport (LPT) plays a key role in the economic system of any country. The Covid-19 outbreak and subsequent lockdowns led to an unprecedented economic crisis in this sector. Governments had to block all unnecessary travel and keep only essential services moving, reducing public transport services (air, train, bus, metro, etc.) by more than 90%. Despite the economic aids provided by Governments, many LPT companies are facing a crisis that they are unlikely to be able to overcome. This for two reasons: skepticism of passengers in the use of public transport, and therefore reduced revenue from ticket sales, and additional costs for the vehicles’ sanitization Focusing on the Italian case, and especially on Sicily, the paper aims to analyze the standard costs of the LPT road service and assess the cost increase in which companies have to incur in order to meet the guidelines imposed by Government and encourage citizens to use public transport. The paper relies on the results of a direct investigation on clients’ attitudes through a questionnaire submitted to a population travelling to and from the city of Enna in the centre of Sicily.

The present paper was prompted by the activity carried out within the scope of an EU-funded project (WARMEST) that calls for the analysis of monuments’ degradation due to climate change and growing number of tourists. Taking into account the economic aspects, including the increasingly limited resources, related to the conservation of cultural heritage, our research aims to contribute also to the WARMEST project by developing an optimization model for the management and maintenance costs of cultural heritage. This paper focuses on the Brunelleschi’s Cloister within the church complex of Santa Croce (Florence, Italy) and refers to the preliminary study for the achievement of this objective: an analysis of the intrinsic characteristics of the Pietra Serena, its state of degradation and the causes that generate it. The next step will be the analysis of the maintenance costs necessary to stop the degradation process. The information collected will be used to create an HBIM (Heritage Building Information Modeling) model. Meanwhile we will work on predicting the degradation progression due to the climate change through the analysis of the images collected along a period of time and implementing machine learning processes.

Every year ship traffic produces tons of liquid waste mainly consisting of bilge water and of washing water of tankers' tanks. The latter are called slop waters and are characterized by high salinity and by the presence of recalcitrant pollutants mainly of hydrocarbon origin: these characteristics promote the use of chemical-physical rather than biological treatment. In particular, in the present study the slop waters were subjected to a clariflocculation treatment by means of batch tests. This treatment involves the dosage of specific chemical reagents (coagulants and flocculants) added to water at different stages of the process. In order to establish the optimal reagents' type and dose, also considering the operating costs, the proposed study presents a frequency analysis belonging to the family of multi-criteria exploration. The application of this methodology to examine the validity of the different process alternatives has allowed the inclusion of, in a single assessment, both economic and extra-economic (measurable only in qualitative terms) procedures. Thanks to this qualitative and quantitative method, it was therefore possible to order the different treatment alternatives analyzed, identifying the one that allows optimizing the wastewater management, for a conscious choice of the most suitable solution to the problem.

The impact of properly managing energy in hospitals is significant, due to the high bills and polluting emissions, and is complex, due to the wide range of energy consuming equipment to be kept always running. Energy efficiency plans in hospitals, which are pivotal in the European wide effort to redevelop existing buildings, have to be carried out as a part of a wider redesign process and must encompass complex data analysis and modeling. Based on the activity carried out within the European funded project H2020/MSCA/STEER, this work elaborates on the methodology, as tested on a building information model of a health center in Sicily, to identify positive and negative aspects of energy-related technology options to keep hospitals efficient. The main steps of the methodology carried out in the health center were: (1) collect data and input it in a digital model; (2) create and test a simplified quasi-steady state model of the building; (3) create a dynamic simulation model of the building; (4) run dynamic and simplified model simulations of the energy performance of the building; (5) compare results obtained from the two models in various scenarios, showing that the relevant differences after indicative interventions and parameter changes are equivalent.

The new Italian Procurement Code—L.D. n. 50, 2016—implementing the 2014 European Union Directive, introduced BIM (Building Information Modeling) as an innovative approach to digitalize the construction sector. The recent Decree n. 560 of December 1st 2017 defines the methods and schedule for the gradual introduction of the BIM for the design, execution and management of construction works. BIM procedures involve a radical change in the design approach that goes from the graphical representation to the simulation of a process, both in the field of new constructions and in the field of Cultural Heritage conservation. In this perspective the article shows the results of a survey carried out on historic buildings. It aimed at verifying how much the modeling has remained confined to a low level of development (LOD A, according to the UNI 11337 standard is linked to a merely symbolic level) and those who have gone further by integrating specific and detailed information that allow real time to evaluate the sustainability of different alternatives. The article, which represents a first step of an ongoing research, starting from the regulatory framework of the BIM in Italy, highlights its potential (Sect. 1); the issue of the evaluation is deepened (Sect. 2), with particular reference to the 5D-BIM Project cost management and to the Heritage Building Information Modeling (HBIM).

Public residential buildings make a large portion of the European existing stock and they quite often require deep renovation interventions. A methodology for setting priorities and targeting regeneration investments should be defined relying on the increasing use of building information modelling (BIM) tools even for managing existing buildings. The aim of this paper is to integrate the evaluation process into BIM Revit software developing a specific plug-in, a Decision support system (DSS) that will help to identify the most appropriate flats to be transformed. It is based on measuring three indicators: Usability, Fragmentation, and Constructive Modifiability. Through their weighted average it is possible to obtain a final transformability score. The proposed approach has been tested on a case study chosen within the 1st P.E.E.P. (1st public plan for council and affordable housing) that has been approved in Rome in 1964. The results demonstrate that the transformability of apartments is related mainly to the Constructive Modifiability indicator and buildings with reinforced concrete frames show higher scores. A widespread application of such a methodology on large real estate portfolio may lead stakeholders involved in housing management investments in clear choices related to maintenance of buildings.

This study is prompted by the activity carried out within a EU funded project (WARMEST)[1] whose goal is to analyze monuments’ degradation due to factors such as climate change and growing number of tourists, create a model to describe and anticipate the phenomena, and put in place a user-friendly Decision Support System that will help in setting preventive maintenance plans. As part of the project, we had the chance to study in depth the degradation at the Patio de Los Leones, the core of the world-famous site of the Alhambra and Generalife, which attracts to Granada in Spain where they are located over 2 million tourists per year. The paper aims to define a new methodology to assess the level of urgency to restore the 124 columns of the Patio de Los Leones (Alhambra). It is not easy to identify all the factors affecting the columns’ deterioration and to establish which should be restored first. Our approach is to collect all the data regarding the decay factor and use multi criteria decision aid methods such us the Analytic Hierarchy Process in order to create a hierarchy among all columns according to their decay. We also will create an HBIM model of the Patio del Los Leones in order to optimize the management and maintenance of the columns. HBIM model can also optimize the data management and enable to compare results (in this case data about columns decay) over time.

The growing interest in the enhancement, management, and sale of public building stock has increased the importance of their valuation and, as a result, the need to identify suitable methods for estimating value that take into account their peculiarities. They often boast architectural features (interfloor distance, layout, finishings, types of wiring/heating systems, etc.) that make them &lsquo, extraordinary&rsquo, assets, in some cases, these features also endow them with monumental and/or historical importance. Thus, when valuating, it is necessary to adopt suitable methods. Where comparable examples or income-based parameters specifically concerning buildings with special features are lacking, the Depreciated Replacement Cost (DRC) method is the only system that can be used to estimate their market value. This paper aims to show how the DRC method can be applied in this specific market. The theoretical part will be coupled with a practical section where the DRC method will be used to estimate the market value of an extraordinary landmark building in Rome (Italy), the Palazzo degli Archivi di Stato (the State Archives building), in the EUR district, sold by EUR S.p.A. group (formerly known as Ente EUR) in 2015.

Interest towards urban micromobility has been growing lately, and it will now increase further due to the measures used against COVID-19. It is recommended to avoid close contact to prevent contagion. Municipalities have been called to implement wider cycling networks so that people may go to their work place by cycling rather than by using public transport. This paper focused on cycling path design using an infrastructure-building information model (I-BIM). The issue covered was how to connect cost and safety requirements in the first steps of the project. We set a methodology that gives, after identifying the intervention area and defining the available economic resources, the key elements needed to design possible cycle path solutions. It guides the designer step-by-step, starting from basic assumptions related to a cycle path’s location (urban/non-urban), budget (by range), and safety (according to Bicycle Compatibility Index BCI and Bicycle Level of Service (BLOS) index), up to the definition of preferred options in terms of materials to be selected. As a case study, we implemented this methodology in the old city center of Catania in Sicily (Italy), designing a cycle path that connects the city center with the existing cycle path on the coast, while aligning with safety requirements within budget constraints.

In recent years, the concept of transit-oriented development (TOD) is increasingly applied to urban development based on the principles of smart growth and sustainable development. The growing complexity of urban systems and metropolitan areas requires an integrated strategic vision. This means addressing the issues of mobility and accessibility and their impact on the urban environment. Catania metropolitan area is characterized by a highly urbanized settlement with high percentage of urban sprawl. The General Master Plan of the city, shaped in 1964 and finally endorsed in 1969, severely reduced the opportunity for new developments by allocating areas for new urban facilities. The process of urban sprawl is mainly characterized by residential settlements. This aspect together with an inadequate road network and an insufficient public transport service brought to the growth of private cars on the roads, generating serious traffic congestion and making Catania based on a car-oriented model. Lately these conditions are changing as a consequence of the development of the underground metro network that connects the main city’s service centers like the hospitals, the university (and soon also the Airport) to the city center. To achieve sustainable transportation and resolve the aforementioned problems, we have applied TOD criteria to some of the main city’s transport junctions (selected using the Multi Criteria Decision Aid methodology) in order to fulfills the principle of sustainable transportation.

The continuous growth of vehicles on the road and the consequent traffic congestion, especially in suburban areas, is a source for major concern. It impacts negatively on the operating costs of infrastructures and on the social and economic life in the surrounding area. From an economic perspective, travel time for the displacement between two junctions of a network is one of the most significant factors to be taken into consideration. On this basis, the designer decides on the level of service and the type of infrastructure to be built and the traveller assesses the alternatives to the existing modes of transport and his willingness to face the associated cost. In Europe, United Kingdom (UK) was the first country to value travel time in the early 1960s. Moreover, until 2011, it contributed to the estimation of the monetary value of time for 60% of international studies within the EU. The UK Department for Transport (DfT) adopts the Transport Analysis Guidance (WebTAG) as useful transport planning and design tool. This paper discusses on the guidelines and software tools adopted for the economic evaluation of transport interventions in UK and Italy, highlighting particularly, the values and methods for estimating the value of time (VOT) in both countries. We propose a strong integration of the two models taking into account the numerous parameters examined in UK and at the same time the method’s easy applicability for countries with different development conditions and needs.

Building Information Modelling is the latest phase of a revolutionary process that over the last thirty years has profoundly transformed the world of design in the construction sector in all its different disciplines: architecture and engineering design, mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineering, operation and maintenance, cost and safety, etc. From 2D and 3D assisted design to parametric design, the innovation has led to a profound change of perspective as far as the way of conceiving the work in all its phases is concerned, from concept to execution and consequently to management. BIM methodological approach, based on sharing and interoperability, opens up a potential range of future applications, although nowadays it is mainly used in the MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering) sector. One of the most interesting applications can be developed in urban and infrastructural design (Infra-BIM), where the processes and the controls implemented by BIM can be managed effectively and at a higher efficiency level. The term Infra-BIM is used in reference to the adoption of the BIM methodology in the infrastructure sector. An area that by itself calls for a strong disciplinary interconnection with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and involves many aspects, from the analysis of the area analysed to the relations and interferences with other infrastructures. A multidisciplinary approach that, consequently, requires the correct implementation of the BIM methodology reached by checking the coherence and quality of the information input in the models. The paper focuses on the phase of BIM Validation viewed as a support for a proper work-flow: it not only allows to analyse the whole set of information associated with a parametric object but also how the entire model matches the specific design requirements. BIM Validation process in design is not defined yet, but it is important to aim at a correct procedure so as to guarantee quality of design and future management of the project.

The energy needs of our planet grow steadily. It is therefore important to identify solutions for saving and optimizing natural resources used for energy production. Traditional renewable energies (photovoltaic, wind, etc.) are not sufficient to meet demand and should be distributed homogeneously across the territory in order to avoid losses and difficulties in use. The present study focuses on another source of wind energy: the exploitation of fluid dynamics generated by the movement of trains in tunnels. The study aims at preparing a technical appraisal and an economic feasibility evaluation. The experimental analysis applied to a railroad has demonstrated that renewable energy can also be produced in transport infrastructures while, without installed technologies, this energy source is unnecessarily unused and lost. The results show that wind energy can be obtained without creating a negative impact on the landscape and on views, by exploiting unforeseen sources of production.

BIM technologies provide tools and processes to support the entire life of a project effectively, from strategic planning to maintenance.Although this method takes its first steps in the architectural field and also infrastructure design processes currently make frequent use of BIM tools.This paper aims to apply the BIM oriented design method to the underground railway extension in the metropolitan area of Catania in order to show the potential of BIM tools in managing all the components of a multi-disciplinary infrastructure project.