246
technical- constructive which, if studied in sufficient detail, can provide the
following information:
• with regards to the control of aspects relating to the relationship between a
building and the environment, planning and architecture (especially that
related to temperate climates) have always had to deal with a climate characterized by significant seasonal changes (temperature, humidity, wind,
solar radiation) which therefore encourages and imposes solutions capable
of adapting to these seasonal variations. In addition to the climate, individual buildings must also respond to the microclimate of the area, i.e. the
specific features of individual sites also in relation to the shape of the urban
constructions or landscape (which influence, and sometimes change, the
typical climatic conditions such as temperature, humidity, wind speed and
solar radiation, distinguishing a single context with local conditions).
• with regards to the control of the typological aspects, buildings must be
characterized by a search for balance between a compact form in winter
(based on the more advantageous ratio between surface and volume in
relation to heat loss) and a more open form in the summer (based on the
possibility of favouring natural ventilation), with “open-closed” structured
spaces for winter/summer use (porches, balconies, patios, filter spaces).
For example, the typical Mediterranean building is a home with a patio,
compact but “porous” (Olgyay, 1998). The in-line or terraced type house is
equally effective, allowing compactness to be favoured (seen as supporttype housing), but also to identify two preferable exposures, namely south
facing (so that sunlight can be exploited in the winter months) and north
facing (to have a “cool” side in the summer triggering the natural ventilation throughout the building).
• for the control of the technical-constructive aspects, an urban structure
must be characterized by the passive use of energy thanks to the exploitation of sunlight both directly (windows) or indirectly (heat storage units)
and by the presence of an adequate capacitive mass (and thermal inertia) to
retain heat and mitigate temperature peaks (reducing and off-setting the
introduction of the thermal wave) in the summer. Therefore, building orientation, building shape and cladding characteristics are the aspects on
which designers should focus more carefully. A building which exploits
the characteristics surrounding it is defined as “passive”, which should be
distinguished from those buildings which artificially (and therefore
“actively”) construct comfort within the rooms (not to be confused with
the term “passivhaus”, which refers to an energy standard). A passive
urban structure combines the ability to use favourable climatic factors
(capturing solar energy in winter, directing air flows in the summer) with
the ability to maintain favourable conditions (storing heat in winter and
night-time cold in summer) and hamper unfavourable conditions without
resorting to costly and energy-intensive additions to the system.
(continued)
F. Musco et al.
technical- constructive which, if studied in sufficient detail, can provide the
following information:
• with regards to the control of aspects relating to the relationship between a
building and the environment, planning and architecture (especially that
related to temperate climates) have always had to deal with a climate characterized by significant seasonal changes (temperature, humidity, wind,
solar radiation) which therefore encourages and imposes solutions capable
of adapting to these seasonal variations. In addition to the climate, individual buildings must also respond to the microclimate of the area, i.e. the
specific features of individual sites also in relation to the shape of the urban
constructions or landscape (which influence, and sometimes change, the
typical climatic conditions such as temperature, humidity, wind speed and
solar radiation, distinguishing a single context with local conditions).
• with regards to the control of the typological aspects, buildings must be
characterized by a search for balance between a compact form in winter
(based on the more advantageous ratio between surface and volume in
relation to heat loss) and a more open form in the summer (based on the
possibility of favouring natural ventilation), with “open-closed” structured
spaces for winter/summer use (porches, balconies, patios, filter spaces).
For example, the typical Mediterranean building is a home with a patio,
compact but “porous” (Olgyay, 1998). The in-line or terraced type house is
equally effective, allowing compactness to be favoured (seen as supporttype housing), but also to identify two preferable exposures, namely south
facing (so that sunlight can be exploited in the winter months) and north
facing (to have a “cool” side in the summer triggering the natural ventilation throughout the building).
• for the control of the technical-constructive aspects, an urban structure
must be characterized by the passive use of energy thanks to the exploitation of sunlight both directly (windows) or indirectly (heat storage units)
and by the presence of an adequate capacitive mass (and thermal inertia) to
retain heat and mitigate temperature peaks (reducing and off-setting the
introduction of the thermal wave) in the summer. Therefore, building orientation, building shape and cladding characteristics are the aspects on
which designers should focus more carefully. A building which exploits
the characteristics surrounding it is defined as “passive”, which should be
distinguished from those buildings which artificially (and therefore
“actively”) construct comfort within the rooms (not to be confused with
the term “passivhaus”, which refers to an energy standard). A passive
urban structure combines the ability to use favourable climatic factors
(capturing solar energy in winter, directing air flows in the summer) with
the ability to maintain favourable conditions (storing heat in winter and
night-time cold in summer) and hamper unfavourable conditions without
resorting to costly and energy-intensive additions to the system.
(continued)
F. Musco et al.