The paper describes results of a Preliminary Study for the Plan of Quality of Living (PSPQL) of a townin the hinterland of Milan, conducted by an interdisciplinary group of researchers, involving alsofacilitators, town councillors, administrators, technicians and citizens. Main aim of the work is theevaluation of the most sustainable actions to be taken for improving conditions of living. A bottom-upand participative approach has been followed.

This work is aimed at assessing the economical feasibility of a retrofit intervention consisting into the façade renovation of an office building, built in the 70s and located in Italy near Torino. The office building, characterized by high occupancy rate

The purpose of the paper is to influence governments throughout the world to achieve massiveimprovements in energy and exergy performance in their respective countries by legislation and otherpolicy instruments keyed to the overall or integrated energy and exergy performance of energytransformation systems.Energy transformation systems include: all types of buildings; electric, heating, and cooling districtpower plants; water treatment plants, energy and water distribution systems; cars, trucks, buses,motorcycles, trains, planes and other powered transportation systems; and manufacturing pr

The Singular Strategic Project called Bioclimatic Architecture and Solar Cooling, ARFRISOL (ARquitectura bioclimática y FRIo SOLar, in Spanish), has been promoted and supported by Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (MEC). This project plans to save

This project aimed at developing a methodology to help the Local Authorities and the town managersto carry out suitable policies in order to save energy and promote the use of renewable energies. Thismethodology will be useful too for the civil servants in charge of following and assessing the localactions granted by the Regional Authorities.

The paper describes the transfer of technology appropriated from the social, economical andenvironmental point of view in schools at the province of Mendoza (South latitude 32, 53, Westlongitude 68 51, semi-arid climate) placed at the Southwest region of Argentina. The main aim of theinvestigation is to develop technologies which allow the maximum autonomy in terms of heating andlighting of the school buildings trough the use of solar energy.

Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BiPV) systems is a “Zero Land and Zero Water” power systems as it neither consume any additional land nor consume any water. Moreover, introduction of BiPV systems reduces the thermal load of the building. The integrated

In March 2003 a “CO2 - Saving Potential when using Pipe Insulation” study [1], sponsored by Armacell - worldwide producer of flexible pipe insulation products, was published by the Centre for Environmentally Sustainable Buildings (ZUB) in Kassel. The aim

Unsteady natural convection in a rectangular enclosure with a vertical saturated porous wall is studiednumerically. The governing equations using Boussinesq approximation for the treatment of buoyancyterm in the momentum equation and the Darcy model are expressed using the stream functionvorticityformulation. Equations are discretized with the implicite finite-difference method. Thomasalgorithm and Gauss-Seidel method are used to solve the resultant algebraic system equations.Results are presented in terms of streamlines, isotherms and isoconcentrations.

Multi-layers polycarbonate panels are naturally good thermal insulation materials. But their thermalinsulation can be significantly improved if they are used in pairs, as in double glazing, and if the spacebetween them is filled with a product aimed at blocking air movement but keeping a very visualtransmittance. Such a product has been designed, with a U-value close from 0.65W/m2.K. The finalmaterial is however translucent, and not transparent. It appears attractive to use it as a component ofexternal walls or ceiling.