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The paper shows the first results of the optical performance analysis carried out on the DSSC integrated glassblock, an innovative building product developed at the Department of Architecture of the University of Palermo. In the field of a research that is being conducted in order to define innovative solutions for the construction of photovoltaic and energy efficient translucent building envelopes, different hypotheses of integration of DSSC into the glassblock have been foreseen. The integration of glassblock with third generation PV systems allows to define a novel building-PV product that meets the current requirements of the BIPV (Building Integrated Photovoltaics) market. By means of OptiCAD® software, several numerical simulations were conducted to analyse the solar factor, the light transmittance and the shading coefficient of the device.

The paper outlines the results of a research, carried out at the University of Palermo, aimed at the assessment of the energy performance of a novel glassblock integrated with 3rd generation Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSC), which, when installed into panels, allows obtaining translucent building envelopes able to provide high thermal and visual comfort levels while producing clean energy. The paper focuses on the optical analyses of four different configurations of DSSC-integrated glassblocks, carried out by using the optical design software Zemax. The values of optical transmittance, the solar factor and the electric power – calculated for each configuration – are discussed.

The aim of this paper is to analyse the benefits deriving from the replacement of the glazed façades of an office building located in Palermo (Sicily) with a new translucent BIPV envelope made of multifunctional glass block panels integrated with Dye-sensitized Solar Cells (DSCs). The analysed 11-storey building is cladded by a curtain wall determining high management costs, especially during summer, in order to maintain indoor comfort. After the design of the building envelope and of the components for the connection of the glass block panels with existing load bearing structure, the energy performance of the building, before and after the replacement of its envelope, were analysed with the support of Design Builder software. Other software tools – like Therm, Window and Optics – were used to calculate more in detail the thermal properties of the building envelope. The results of the energy performance simulations on the current state were compared with those deriving from the installation of the new envelope made of BIPV glass block panels. Besides the clean electricity production, a significant reduction in building energy consumption related to air conditioning systems was registered, due to the shading effect and solar gain reduction provided by the DSC-integrated glass blocks.

International directives that regulates buildings energy efficiency and environmental sustainability establish strict parameters for the construction of a new generation of “Zero Energy Buildings” indicating transmittance limits for building envelope components and encouraging the use of renewable sources. In this sense, the PV sector aims at the definition of novel efficient solutions for the integration in the building envelope, standing out for their multifunctional features. After an overview on the main PV technologies and building integrated applications, focusing on semi-transparent envelope solutions, the paper shows the results of a research carried out at the Department of Architecture of the University of Palermo, aimed to define innovative solutions for the construction of photovoltaic and energy efficient translucent building envelopes. In particular, the research focuses on the optimization of the glassblock characteristics in terms of thermal insulation, light transmittance and energy production. Actually, new configurations of glassblock were designed in order to reduce its U value and integrate 3rd generation PV technologies for the production of green energy. Furthermore, a dry assembly system has been designed for the construction of translucent prestressed panels made of DSC integrated glassblocks that are able to guarantee high levels of resistance to horizontal actions and to build translucent, photovoltaic and efficient building envelopes even in dry, tropical and temperate areas or in unfavourable light conditions.

The paper illustrates the results of the performance analyses conducted on an innovative glassblock integrated with 3rd generation dye-sensitized solar cells, designed for enabling the construction of translucent and sustainable building envelopes. The analyses encompass the simulation of both thermal and optical performance referring to different configurations of the PV-integrated glassblock, showing the results obtained by using two different software tools: Comsol Multiphysics and WINDOW. The configurations may differ, for example, because of the position of the module inside the glassblock, the type of dye-sensitized solar module used (composition, transparency, design), and glassblock features. Different combinations in terms of thermal insulation, light transmission and estimated PV production will be discussed. The aims of the analyses are to define some optimum combinations according to the different needs of active building façades and to the requirements related to diversified climate contexts.

International directives that regulates buildings energy efficiency and environmental sustainability establish strict parameters for the construction of a new generation of “Zero Energy Buildings” indicating transmittance limits for building envelope components and encouraging the use of renewable sources. In this sense, the PV sector aims at the definition of novel efficient solutions for the integration in the building envelope, standing out for their multifunctional features. After an overview on the main PV technologies and building integrated applications, focusing on semi-transparent envelope solutions, the paper shows the results of a research that is being carried out at the Department of Architecture of the University of Palermo, aimed to define innovative solutions for the construction of photovoltaic and energy efficient translucent building envelopes. In particular, the research focuses on the optimization of glassblock panels in terms of thermal insulation, light transmittance, energy production and mechanical resistance. New configurations of glassblock were designed in order to reduce its U value and integrate 3rd generation PV technologies for the production of green energy. Furthermore, a dry assembly system has been designed for the construction of translucent prestressed panels made of DSC integrated glassblocks that are able to guarantee high levels of resistance to horizontal actions and to build translucent, photovoltaic and efficient building envelopes even in dry, tropical and temperate areas or in unfavourable light conditions.

Lo stock edilizio costruito a partire dal secondo dopoguerra, che ha profondamente modificato durante il secolo scorso l’aspetto della città di Palermo, mostra oggi visibili segni di degrado e basse caratteristiche di efficienza energetica. In particolare, per il comparto della residenza sociale, risultano ancora molto carenti le politiche e gli strumenti pubblici per la riqualificazione energetica a scala di quartiere e di edificio. A partire da queste considerazioni è stata messa a punto una metodologia innovativa per la verifica dell’efficacia di interventi di retrofit energetico in cui la vegetazione occupa un ruolo distintivo per la mitigazione del microclima e l’ottimizzazione del comfort indoor.

The paper points out the main outcomes of a doctoral research carried out at the Department of Architecture of the University of Palermo, aimed at investigating the issues of environmental, social and economic sustainability related to the recovery of the existing building stock with focus on social housing. In particular, starting from the analysis carried out on a real case of the city of Palermo, through the use of specific simulation tools, the research provides a new methodology for the design and the assessment of the effectiveness of plants and Building-Integrated Vegetation systems used as a cost-effective solutions for urban and building retrofit, contributing to new knowledge and understanding of the impacts of vegetation in temperate areas for the increase of cities energy efficiency and users’ thermal comfort.

Nel panorama architettonico contemporaneo l’utilizzo di superfici vetrate per la realizzazione di involucri edilizi trasparenti o traslucidi risulta particolarmente diffuso sia nel caso di edifici costruiti ex novo che di edifici esistenti interessati da operazioni di retrofit, anche laddove gli stessi risultano localizzati in aree geografiche caratterizzate da condizioni climatiche “avverse” a causa degli elevati livelli di irraggiamento. Le normative internazionali in materia di risparmio energetico e di sostenibilità ambientale stabiliscono, poi, parametri precisi da rispettare per la realizzazione di una nuova generazione di edifici ad energia “Zero”, imponendo limiti ai valori di trasmittanza dei componenti vetrati dell’involucro ed incentivando l’utilizzo di fonti di energia rinnovabile, in linea, ad es., con le tendenze del mercato fotovoltaico che va sempre più indirizzandosi verso la Building Integration. Il settore del BIPV (Building Integrated Photovoltaics), per il quale si prevede una crescita vertiginosa nei prossimi anni, mira alla definizione di soluzioni efficienti e sostenibili per l’integrazione delle tecnologie fotovoltaiche negli edifici e, in particolare, negli involucri edilizi o in alcuni degli elementi tecnici e/o dei componenti e sub-componenti che possono connotarli. Il lavoro di ricerca che qui si presenta è stato sviluppato alla luce delle considerazioni sopra esposte ed indirizzato all’individuazione di soluzioni tecnologiche innovative che consentono la realizzazione di involucri edilizi traslucidi efficienti in contesti climatici diversificati migliorando, in particolare, le performance del vetromattone, un prodotto edilizio che negli ultimi anni è stato rivalutato per la realizzazione di involucri traslucidi.

Climate changes caused by carbon emissions are nowadays considered as one of the greatest threats faced by humanity, because they cause problems of human health and poor prospects for global economy. It means that, also in the field of architecture and urban planning, there is an urgency to find appropriate solutions to face this issue, as demonstrated by the increasing amount of normative measures and policy at global level. The paper aims to show a critical analysis of the urban context conducted through the application of sustainability assessment tool - SBTool - into the social housing complex of Cappuccinelli district, chosen as case study. The choice for applying this methodology, which considers many aspects of urban environment, is due to the present necessity to adopt languages and tools that could be internationally interpreted and acknowledged. In the case of Cappuccinelli district, the method has been applied through the selection and analysis of some sustainable urban indicators related to: the distribution of green spaces, the connectivity of green spaces and the use of indigenous vegetation. The indicators have been properly assessed based on the available information and assessment method adapted to the geographic area where the district is located. The aim of this evaluation is to ensure the wellbeing of the local residents and to improve climate conditions for the users. The evaluation is also related to the buildings rehabilitation/retrofit.

Le strategie comunitarie e governative europee hanno da tempo individuato nella riqualificazione urbana ed edilizia uno dei punti di forza per la ripresa del settore delle costruzioni, riconoscendo come tale azione possa contribuire in modo significativo a ridurre l’impatto sull’ambiente e allo stesso tempo inserirsi a pieno titolo tra le voci della green economy per condurre i paesi industrializzati verso l’uscita dalla crisi economica. Su questo tema, l’università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II ha recentemente prodotto tre libri che offrono una panoramica ampia e completa sugli attuali scenari nell’ambito del recupero sostenibile del patrimonio edilizio, raccogliendo rilevanti esperienze nazionali ed internazionali di retrofit a scala urbana e di edificio.

In the last decade, Brazil passed through several political and economic reforms that led to significant social changes, among which the reduction of the levels of inequality and extreme poverty. Nowadays considered one of the emerging economies, the country seeks to solidify its position through wide strategies aimed to propose decisive initiatives for a balanced social development, which are deeply affecting local architecture and urban planning. In this scenario social housing design has become, since the last decade, the mirror of a national policy that is implementing robust strategies to achieve high levels of growth. The paper provides an overview of the upgrades achieved in the field of low-income dwellings in Brazil, with particular reference to the state of São Paulo. The policy framework established in the last years by Brazilian administrations, institutions and associations are described as well as the most remarkable proposals and initiatives for the development of innovative and sustainable social houses in the state of São Paulo. Strengths and weaknesses of recent social houses design will be analysed from a social, environmental and architectural point of view.

The paper shows the first results of a research carried out at the University of Palermo, which aims to indentify sustainable strategies for the renovation of social housing in the Mediterranean Basin, with focus on the use of vegetation as strategy for the enhancement of urban microclimate and thermal comfort. To achieve these goals the social housing complex of Medaglie d’Oro in the city of Palermo was chosen as case study in order to carry out some analyses for the assessment of outdoor comfort parameters of the area. By means of numerical simulations performed with the software ENVI-met, the actual state of the area was evaluated and four scenarios of renovation strategies through the integration with different vegetal species were proposed. The simulations show the effectiveness of the vegetation for the mitigation of the outside temperature and demonstrate that more accurate analyses on building indoor comfort can be performed taking into account the factors that influence its surrounding environment.

In the last years the global attention has increasingly been focusing on climate change and on the depletion of non-renewable energy sources. Recent analyses estimate that the building sector, with construction and activities that allow its normal functioning, is responsible for 50% of global CO2 emissions. In contemporary urban areas, post-war housing estates represent a great percentage of the whole building sector and the amount of new housing produced in EU each year is equivalent to 1% of the whole building stock, which indicates the importance of focusing the attention on the recovery of existing buildings and the optimization of their energetic performances. The paper will show the first results of a study that is being carried out on a social housing estate in the city of Palermo, aiming to offer a proposal for a sustainable renovation of the district starting from interventions at the micro urban scale for the improvement of the outdoor comfort. The district original design dates back to the 1970s and includes several social housing buildings that currently present a significant form of decay and very low energy efficiency. After the analysis of the context and the identifications of the problems affecting the district, the local climate will be investigated in order to propose solutions that can improve the inhabitants’ indoor and outdoor comfort. The proposals consist in possible greening scenarios aimed at verifying to what extent vegetation can affect the urban microclimate. For this reason, simulations were performed by means of the software ENVI-met, which has been essential to quantify the results of the different hypotheses.

L’invenzione riguarda l’integrazione del vetromattone con celle solari ibride (organiche/inorganiche), conosciute come Dye-sensitized Solar Cell (DSC). La combinazione del vetromattone con le DSC consente di migliorare le prestazioni del prodotto originario rendendolo in grado di produrre energia pulita. Le caratteristiche di trasparenza e isolamento termo-acustico del prodotto possono essere regolate agendo sulla configurazione delle DSC. Il prodotto può essere assemblato a formare pannelli fotovoltaici per la realizzazione di facciate traslucide energeticamente “attive” in varie condizioni luminose (condizioni di luce diffusa o artificiale) e indipendentemente dall’angolo di radiazione solare. Le DSC possono essere stampate in diversi colori e con vari disegni, consentendo di intervenire sull’aspetto del vetromattone e di realizzare, quando installato in pannelli, disegni di facciata grazie alla modularità del prodotto. I suddetti pannelli fotovoltaici costituiscono l’involucro dell’edificio, comportando vantaggiose economie di materiali e costi, non essendo necessari ulteriori elementi tecnici di supporto. L’invenzione presenta sette ipotesi di integrazione delle DSC con il vetromattone, per la realizzazione di un prodotto da assemblare “a secco” in pannelli fotovoltaici. In questi ultimi il cablaggio dei fili e le barre di irrigidimento vengono alloggiati nella struttura di supporto, che può essere costituita da profili in materiale plastico disposti in orizzontale ed in verticale nelle cavità generate dall’accostamento e dalla giustapposizione dei vetromattoni.

The paper focuses on passive and active strategies for achieving sustainable recovery of existing buildings in the Mediterranean Basin, in order to improve indoor comfort and reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere. The Mediterranean Basin is characterized by relatively mild winters and very warm summers. Although Mediterranean climate conditions offer excellent opportunity for the application of alternative energy sources (eg. wind, solar, hydroelectric), they are not very applied yet. Italy and Sicily in particular, comparing to most of EU countries , hang still behind in the application of innovative techniques for sustainable design and planning, and energy retrofitting of existing building. Moreover, Italian rules about energy efficiency in buildings do not take wholly into account problems related to the control of heat gains in temperate climate conditions, and even if energy codes have made good strides in improving the energy efficiency of new buildings, Italy still need an energy code framework that can effectively produce deep energy savings in existing buildings. Most of the contemporary urban areas of South Italy are widely composed by buildings, designed since the II post-war, that present very low energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. Starting from these considerations, the paper inquires into passive cooling techniques for the improvement of energy building performance and indoor comfort. Existing buildings retrofit examples are analysed in order to evaluate the efficiency of different design techniques to reduce energy consumption and, at the same time, increase indoor health levels in temperate geographic areas.

New configurations of the glassblock have been designed at the Department of Architecture of the University of Palermo in order to reduce its U value responding to the latest national and international regulation limits for the thermal insulation of the buildings with glass façades. One of these new configurations consists in the insertion of a special plastic "belt" between the two glass shells composing the glassblock, which have to be glued to it (cold assembly); the plastic belt effectively interrupts the thermal bridge between the two glass shells. Thanks to the particular design of its shape, the "thermal belt" can be also used for the insertion of one or more additional sheets of different materials (glass, PC, PC + Aerogel, etc.) separating the glassblock cavity in two or more chambers. Then, in this particular configuration, it is also possible to insert a DSSC module in substitution of the aforesaid sheets. This solution actually represents one among seven different Hypotheses of integration of the DSSC into the glassblock that have been foreseen during a research that is carryng out in order to design an innovative photovoltaic glassblock.

L’invenzione riguarda la realizzazione di un pannello di vetromattoni montati “a secco” -da impiegare per la realizzazione di involucri edilizi traslucidi anche nel caso di edifici alti- che è in grado di rispondere adeguatamente alle sollecitazioni orizzontali (quali quelle dovute a vento e sisma) grazie all’applicazione della tecnica della precompressione mondirezionale. Per offrire una risposta ai limiti imposti dalla tecnica di assemblaggio tradizionale dei vetromattoni (“ad umido”), l’applicazione della precompressione consente, infatti, di dare ai pannelli preassemblati “a secco” una rigidezza adeguata anche in direzione normale al loro piano di posa, sfruttando le buone caratteristiche di resistenza meccanica dei vetromattoni. La precompressione monodirezionale (lungo la dimensione prevalente del pannello) è ottenuta tramite il serraggio dei dadi posti all’estremità di barre filettate collocate dentro i profili di supporto dei vetromattoni - posizionati nelle cavità verticali che si determinano tra i vetromattoni stessi, giustapposti a formare il pannello- e passanti i profili orizzontali che servono a distanziare una fila di vetromattoni dall’altra. L’opportuno serraggio dei dadi, a contrasto con i piatti in acciaio disposti all’estremità superiore ed inferiore del pannello e, rispettivamente su dei piatti di materiale plastico fissati alle facce laterali dei vetromattoni tramite resina, genera la precompressione del pannello.

According to many market analysts, Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) represents the future of photovoltaic (PV) industry as well as one of the strategies for the achievement of zero-energy building standards and UE goals for the next years. Dye-sensitised solar cell (DSSC) is a low-cost and very versatile solar technology, offering a wide range of possibilities in terms of colour, transparency and design: hence DSSC are particularly suited for BIPV and could give a big contribution in this direction. Starting from those considerations, this paper will show the first results of a research aimed at the integration of DSSC with the glassblock for the construction of multifunctional translucent PV panels, precast and prestressed, able to be easily integrated in the building envelope and highly customizable. This research is included in a larger work that has been carried out at the Department of Architecture of Palermo University about the improvement of glassblocks performance in order to use them for the construction of sustainable glazed building envelopes even in Mediterranean and Tropical areas. The glassblock is a high-performance type of glass, particularly fit in the field of sustainable architectural envelopes. Four different hypotheses of integration of the DSSC with the glassblock have been formulated and described in a patent recently taken out in Italy. The process of deposition of the cells on the single glassblock, according to the four hypotheses, and the performance of this novel kind of PV-integrated building product will be discussed in terms of energy production, optical transmittance, economic costs and aesthetical effects. Moreover, the aspects about the assembly and the installation of those DSSC-integrated glassblocks for the construction of translucent PV panels, coinciding with the building envelope itself, will be discoursed. In this field another patent, about the dry-assembly system of the glassblock panel, has been recently taken out.

A partire dagli anni '90, a seguito di alcuni processi di liberalizzazione dell'economia, il Brasile ha attraversato una serie di cicli macroeconomici che hanno portato a una sua rapida crescita e alla stabilizzazione dell’economia interna, concausa, tra le altre cose, di significativi cambiamenti sociali, come un crescente consolidamento della democrazia e un significativo aumento della partecipazione della popolazione civile nel monitoraggio della politica pubblica, anche in relazione alle trasformazioni urbane e architettoniche del suo territorio. Cosciente dei rischi ambientali che il settore edilizio può comportare, in termini soprattutto di emissioni di gas serra e di uso del suolo, il Paese è impegnato da più di un decennio a definire un quadro normativo organico e a promuovere pratiche costruttive sostenibili per raggiungere gli obiettivi prefissati da accordi internazionali finalizzati ad una gestione più razionale delle risorse ambientali. In questo scenario, la questione del Social Housing s’inserisce in maniera trasversale, interessando tanto l'edilizia di nuova costruzione quanto la riqualificazione dell'esistente e coinvolgendo, in egual modo, le risorse sociali, economiche ed ambientali in un processo che guarda a livelli di progresso sempre maggiori.

La proposta illustrerà i primi risultati ottenuti nell’ambito di una ricerca, tutt’ora in corso presso il Dipartimento di Architettura dell’Università degli Studi di Palermo, finalizzata ad indagare le problematiche connesse all’integrazione del vetromattone con sistemi di produzione di energia rinnovabile, in particolare, di terza generazione (DSC-Dye Syntetized solar cell - celle fotovoltaiche organiche/ibride). I principali campi di investigazione che si illustreranno saranno connessi alle: tecniche ed i processi di deposizione delle celle sul vetromattone per la costruzione dei moduli, alla scelta del loro migliore posizionamento ed all’analisi delle ricadute, in termini di valutazione economico/prestazionale -nonchè in relazione all’aspetto, alla trasmissione luminosa, al valore di trasmittanza del vetro mattone ed alla produzione di energia- che l’integrazione di tali celle comporta. La combinazione del vetromattone con le DSC consente, infatti, di migliorare le prestazioni del prodotto originario rendendolo in grado di produrre energia pulita. Le caratteristiche di trasparenza ed isolamento termo-acustico del prodotto possono essere regolate agendo sulla configurazione delle DSC. Le DSC possono essere stampate in di¬versi colori e con vari disegni, è possibile, quindi, intervenire sull’aspetto del vetromattone consentendo, inoltre -quando questo risulta installato in pannelli- di realizzare disegni di facciata, grazie alla modularità del prodotto/pannello. Il vetromattone integrato con celle DSC, infatti, può essere assemblato a formare pannelli fotovoltaici che possono essere impiegati per la realizzazione di vere e proprie facciate traslucide, energeticamente “attive” in varie condizioni luminose (condizioni di luce diffusa o artificiale) e indipendente¬mente dall’angolo di radiazione solare; ciò può contribuire ad incrementare sensibilmente la sostenibilità degli edifici. I suddetti pannelli fotovoltaici costituiscono, infatti, l’involucro stesso dell’edificio comportando, perciò, vantaggiose economie di materiali e costi non essendo, tra l’altro, necessari ulteriori elementi tecnici di supporto per l’istallazione dei pannelli. Poiché nelle celle fotovoltaiche organiche, il materiale attivo che converte la radiazione solare in energia elettrica, è formato da molecole organiche che possono essere depositate su larghe aree di un substrato trasparente sia in soluzione liquida -come dei veri e propri inchiostri- sia attraverso dei semplici processi di evaporazione, a differenza dei più costosi sistemi tradizionali -basati sul silicio- i processi di fabbricazione di tali celle riducono notevolmente i costi del prodotto finale.

Recensione del testo di P.V. NIELSEN (CURATORE), F. ALLARD, H.B. AWBI, LARS DAVIDSON, A. SCHALIN, Fluidodinamica computazionale - Applicata alla progettazione della ventilazione, Flaccovio Dario, Palermo 2009 (Traduzione italiana del testo: Computational Fluid Dynamics in Ventilation Design, REHVA, Forssa Finland 2007). La ventilazione naturale è un fattore di salubrità e comfort negli ambienti, ma anche un elemento da valutare al fine della conservazione e della tutela. Oggi l’analisi parametrica dell’efficienza di diverse soluzioni progettuali, fra cui quelle legate alla ventilazione, viene effettuata grazie a simulazioni mediante l'utilizzo della Fluidodinamica Computazionale (detta anche CFD, Computational Fluid Dynamics), disciplina che si occupa dello sviluppo dei metodi numerici che permettono l’analisi del comportamento dinamico dei fluidi. L’articolo mira a illustrare i contenuti essenziali del testo curato da Nielsen, oltre che a far comprendere le caratteristiche e le possibilità offerte dalle analisi CFD nel campo della progettazione e della conservazione.

Gli edifici contribuiscono per più del 40% al consumo di energia non rinnovabile e all’emissione di elevatissime quantità di CO2. Tra gli effetti che l’emergenza ambientale ha avuto nell'ambito della progettazione e della pianificazione, vi è sicuramente una vastissima produzione scientifica volta alla definizione di una pratica architettonica sempre più sensibile ai problemi del risparmio energetico e della salvaguardia dell’ambiente. Tra la letteratura di riferimento ritroviamo numerosi testi concepiti con un voluto taglio didattico, al fine di fornire precise indicazioni di progetto e di calcolo ai principali attori del settore (architetti, ingegneri, costruttori, studenti ecc.) che per la prima volta intendono avvicinarsi alla disciplina. Tra questi, Architettura Sostenibile di Dominique Gauzin-Müller e Climate Design, frutto di un lavoro a più mani condotto all’Università Tecnica di Monaco, rappresentano due volumi esemplari all’interno della manualistica relativa alla progettazione sostenibile.

L’articolo illustra gli esiti preliminari dell’attività di ricerca finalizzata ad individuare soluzioni innovative per il miglioramento delle prestazioni degli elementi di captazione della luce naturale, per l’ottimizzazione energetica e l’incremento prestazionale degli involucri edilizi traslucidi. In particolare, l’articolo mette in luce le potenzialità del vetromattone per la configurazione di involucri edilizi di questo tipo: dopo averne sinteticamente illustrato le applicazioni più recenti ed aver analizzato l’evoluzione delle sue prestazioni attraverso l’analisi dei brevetti, registrati a partire dagli anni Venti del Novecento, si dà conto di un nuovo sistema di messa in opera del vetromattone -totalmente o parzialmente a secco- che, attraverso analisi numerico-simulative e prove di laboratorio, si sta mettendo a punto nell’ambito della ricerca in uno ad una innovativa configurazione del prodotto che consentirebbe di ridurne notevolmente la trasmittanza.

Historically, building shape and structure have been designed, in solid construction, at the same moment. Their relationship is evident in the organization of the building inner space. On the contrary, in filigree construction, the interior space isn't often directly defined by the structure and the separation between building's interior and exterior is much more clear especially if we consider contemporary architectures where filigree structures are frequently used. The paper points out the role of structure in relation to the building shape in the contemporary age. Different architectures have been analysed (such as high-rise and free-form buildings) in order to put in evidence the criteria and the technologies used to build them and in order to underline the differences or similarities of the design approach used by the architects with the aim to re-veal -or not- the relation between structure and architecture.

Per il lavoro di ricerca,di cui il libro "Glassblock and Architecture. Evoluzione del vetromattone e recenti applicazioni" rappresenta una sintesi preliminare,sono stati analizzati e riportati in elenco numerosi brevetti sul vetromattone ed i sistemi di posa in opera ad esso correlati oltre che alcuni specifici accorgimenti atti a migliorare le caratteristiche del vetro e degli “accessori” utili all’istallazione dei vetromattoni stessi.Di ciascun brevetto si riportano il nome dell'autore, l’azienda per la quale il brevetto stesso è stato richiesto e pubblicato (laddove esistente), la data di presentazione della domanda di brevettazione e la relativa data di concessione.

L'articolo si inserisce tra i contributi che documentano il percorso e il lavoro degli allievi del corso di Architettura e Composizione Architettonica I (Corso di Laurea in Ingegneria Edile-Architettura, a.a. 2005/06) nell'ambito del lavoro dal titolo "Un luogo di preghiera nel Parco d'Orléans a Palermo. Il progetto di uno spazio interreligioso". Il progetto e il percorso riflettono un'esperienza in cui i modi dell'architettura, attraverso la sua capacità dialogante con l'uomo e il suo tempo, elaborano e propongono nuovi stili di vita, esprimendo la tensione verso i valori della modernità.

A glassblock integrated with hybrid photovoltaic cells (also known as Dye-sensitized Solar Cell - DSC) and a dry-assembled panel made of traditional or DSC-integrated glassblocks are disclosed. The combination of the glassblock and the DSC module, allows the improvement of the glassblock performance in terms of energy saving and production. The final complete product owns the qualities of both the components (glassblock and DSC module) that are optimized to produce clean energy. The transparency and the thermo-acoustic insulation of the glassblock may be modulated according to the specific requirements of each case of installation. Since the DSCs can be printed in different colours and with various patterns, it is possible to intervene also on the glassblock aesthetical aspect and to easily make drawings on the building façades, thanks to the modularity of the glassblock and the panel. Moreover, DSCs can be energetically active in different light conditions (even in diffuse light, also converting internal artificial light) and independently from the angle of the solar radiation. The invention presents seven Hypotheses of integration of the DSCs with glassblock and the system to assemble the new product and/or the traditional glassblock in prestressed panels, which constitute the building envelope even in high-rise buildings. This assembly system implies favourable economies in terms of costs and materials, since further technical elements for the construction of the building envelope are no more needed. The supporting structure of the panel is constituted by plastic profiles that are placed in the horizontal and vertical cavities resulting from the juxtaposition of the glassblocks. The supporting structure houses stiffening steel rods and electric connections (in case of DSC-integrated glassblocks for the construction of photovoltaic panels). To overcome the limits due to the wet assembly system, traditionally used to assemble glassblocks, a prestressing force is applied to steel rods in order to confer to the panel an adequate mechanical resistance against the actions perpendicular to its installation plane, such as wind and earthquake. In this configuration the mechanical resistance of the glassblocks is exploited. The unidirectional prestress (along the prevalent dimension of the panel) is obtained through the grip of the nuts inserted in the steel rods, opposing to the steel plates positioned at the top and bottom of the panel. The steel plates are positioned on plastic plates fixed to the lateral faces of the glassblocks by means of resins.

Despite the acknowledged positive effects of vegetation at urban, neighborhood and building scales, there are still only limited comprehensive design tools for multi-scale evaluation of the microclimate and thermal benefits of plants and building-integrated vegetation (BIV) systems. The paper describes a case study in the city of Palermo (Italy) that applied simulation methodology to quantitatively assess the microclimate effects of different neighborhood and building retrofit scenarios where vegetation plays a main role. The simulation workflow moves from a micro-urban to a building scale assessment by linking the ENVI-met software to the building energy simulation program EnergyPlus. The study takes two complementary directions. Firstly, it analyses the influence of plants on urban microclimates to enhance outdoor and indoor temperatures. Secondly, it assesses the benefits of different technical solutions applied to buildings, including BIV systems and windows substitutions, to further improve their thermal behavior. The results of the simulations show a significant reduction in outdoor and indoor temperatures, questioning traditional urban renovation practices and drawing attention to the importance of multi and inter-scale approaches for high-accuracy investigations into buildings’ thermal performances.

In this article is presented the preliminary evaluation of the performance of radiation transmission of glass block, used in support of photovoltaic cells, investigating different internal surface points of the block, which are subject to different shading during daylight hours. The aim is to establish how the edging setting, the only opaque element, can reduce the amount of light radiation during the day, introducing in this way a reduction of efficiency of the entire generation system. The generation system can be based on traditional photovoltaic cells or on the most suitable dye sensitized solar cells. An experimental measurement setup employing a microprocessor-based instrument has been created and a set of measures have been carried out. The measures prove that the shading effect at different irradiation angles do not affect significantly the lighting over the PV cell.