A Green District to Save the Planet

Abstract

The Earth (Mother and Sister, according to Encyclical Letter) cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the Earth’s goods (Laudato si’, 2) and calls all people to global ecological conversion in key sectors, such as excessive energy consumption in urban areas and buildings and the consequent additional pollution. This research is devoted to answer the encyclical’s call by conceiving, designing and experimenting experiences of related to the Green City and Green Building. It deals with energy consumption in urban and construction management and CO₂ emissions. Through the establishment of a specific methodology and experimentation on unprecedented city and district scales, the study compares energy consumption and CO₂ reduction of different scenarios of interventions based on the main pillars of Green Conservation and Ecological Retrofitting. A Valuation Framework, enabled by Web-GIS tools, supports the present research, to integrate: unprecedentedly detailed 3D city-modelling; alternative scenarios (Sustainable vs. Business-as-Usual BAS) for whole-city energy management; cost estimates for investments in alternative urban scenarios; valuation of energy management in an alternative scenarios; overtime economic and financial analysis, comparing various scenarios.

• case study: a real-world design and social experimentations have been activated in Reggio Calabria (Italy) and Boston (USA). Two case studies constitute two case studies. The first one is going to be implemented in the real world as an experiment entitled <Sustainable Urban District Retrofitting> in an urban neighborhood whose features include: 6,400 residents; 490,000 m² of total area; 125 urban blocks; 840 buildings; 2,500,000 m³ of constructions; 800,000 m² of apartments; around 6,600 apartment units.

The key outcome of real-world experimentation is the “ecological passivation” (i.e., insulation works and material for non-consumption of energy).

A global appraisal of experimentation provides valuation of the economic and ecological aspects quantifying the initial slightly higher costs of passivation and assessing the number of years needed to pay-back the additional cost of investment by the offset of a large saving in ongoing energy spending. It has been demonstrated, both theoretically and practically, that it is possible to reduce energy consumption up to 50%. Attributions: Massimo D. E. par. 2, 7. Musolino M. par. 5, 6. Malerba A. par. 1, 3.