The main focus of this paper is the most recent phase of a large research project that has studied several wooden roof structures in the area of Bologna, belonging to a set of important historical buildings, all dating back to the 16th and 18th centuries. In particular, the behavior of the wooden trusses that support pitched roofs is analyzed, according to a methodological approach, based on generative algorithms that can help researchers and technicians to improve the comprehension of wooden structures’ behavior during their entire lifespan. While all the previous case studies concerned churches, this latest step extends the survey to the roofing system of the Municipal Theater of Bologna, which has a span of approximately 25 m. The core of the process concerns the automatic transformation of the point cloud into 3D models using parametric modeling tools, such as Grasshopper generative algorithms. Following this workflow, it is possible to speed up the creation of different truss models by changing only a few input parameters. This updating of the research protocol automatically creates a Building Information Modeling (BIM) model and a calculation model for the wooden trusses to perform a structural stress analysis by linking Grasshopper tools with Dynamo-Revit features. The procedure that has been developed from previous studies is still evolving and aims to speed up the modeling procedure and introduce new tools and methods for interpreting the functioning of these structural elements when surveyed through terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) devices.

The paper describes the progress of the four-year European project Pro-GET-onE currently under implementation. This research and innovation project is based on the assumption that greater efficiency, attractiveness, and marketable renovation can only be achieved through an integrated set of technologies where all the different requirements (energy, structural, functional) are optimally managed. Thus, the project focuses on the unprecedented integration of different technologies to achieve a multi-benefit approach that is provided by a closer integration between energy and non-energy related benefits. The project aims to combine different pre-fabricated elements in a unified and integrated system resulting in a higher performance in terms of energy requirements, structural safety, and social sustainability. The project attempts to achieve this goal through the introduction of innovative solutions for building envelopes to optimally combine the climatic, structural, and functional aspects through a significant architectural transformation and a substantial increase of the real estate value of the buildings. This augmented value obtained through the application of the inteGrated Efficient Technologies (GETs) is extremely important when considering the necessity of creating an innovative and attractive market in the energy renovation of existing buildings towards the target of nearly zero energy buildings (nZEBs).

The residential heritage that was built during the great expansion of real estate after the Second World War has severe deficiencies in structural safety, fire resistance, energy efficiency, and accessibility and these cannot be solved with sustainable renovation measures. This study focuses on replacement interventions and promotes a management model that addresses three areas (technical, social, and economic) and it refers to the application of the circularity principle to the construction sector for the goal of climate neutrality by 2050. The final objective is to define a protocol—namely, the guidelines—to reference in a decision-making process that promotes urban regeneration by comparing demolition with reconstruction and renovation. The proposed methodology allows for the determination of suitable areas in Bologna for replacement and the joining of the municipal geodatabase with data from archival research on building permits in 1949–1965 by using GIS software. This digital archive can be implemented in a digital twin for an urban block, which can become a predictive tool for urban planning and the management of the whole life of a building. The main result is the characterization of urban blocks by identifying typical features belonging to specific building libraries that are validated with density analyses. These urban clusters and building archetypes can be used to assess targeted intervention measures by using specific tools, such as predictive maps and 3D city models.

Adapting outdated building stocks’ operations to meet current environmental and economic demands poses significant challenges that, to be faced, require a shift toward digitalization in the architecture, engineering, construction, and operation sectors. Digital tools capable of acquiring, structuring, sharing, processing, and visualizing built assets’ data in the form of knowledge need to be conceptualized and developed to inform asset managers in decision-making and strategic planning. This paper explores how building information modeling and building performance simulation technologies can be integrated into digital decision support systems (DSS) to make building data accessible and usable by non-digital expert operators through user-friendly services. The method followed to develop the digital DSS is illustrated and then demonstrated with a simulation-based application conducted on the heritage case study of the Faculty of Engineering in Bologna, Italy. The analysis allows insights into the building’s energy performance at the space and hour scale and explores its relationship with the planned occupancy through a data visualization approach. In addition, the conceptualization of the DSS within a digital twin vision lays the foundations for future extensions to other technologies and data, including, for example, live sensor measurements, occupant feedback, and forecasting algorithms.

This paper investigates the principles that regulate complex stereotomic constructions as a starting point for the design of a new two-dimensional floor structure based on the principles of TIM (Topological Interlocking Materials). These interlocking systems use an assembly of identical Platonic solids which, due to the mutual bearing between adjacent units and the presence of a global peripheral constraint, lock together to form pure geometric shapes. This type of structure offers several advantages such as a high energy dissipation capacity and tolerance towards localised failure, which has made it a popular research topic over the last 30 years. The current research project includes a case study of an assembly of interlocking cubes to create a “flat vault”. The resulting vault design features a striking appearance and its geometry may be manipulated to achieve different two-dimensional solutions, provided certain geometric conditions necessary for the stability of the system are followed.

The Italian residential building stock consists of 12.2 million buildings, with 7.2 constructed post-World War II during the economic boom. These structures were designed without specific regulations for seismic safety, fire resistance, and energy efficiency, and today lies the current state of strong obsolescence. Therefore, energy refurbishment may not always be the best cost/benefit solution due to these intrinsic issues. Consequently, the transition to construction systems based on circular economy principles brings new opportunities and becomes key to proposing replacement interventions for this heritage. This paper presents a comparative GIS-based bottom-up approach to evaluate the lifecycle impact of residential building blocks, encompassing energy, environmental, and economic aspects. Two tools are introduced: one for measuring energy consumption and the other for quantifying the quantities of materials stored in buildings. This methodology permits comparing the new circular buildings and different refurbishment scenarios to identify the most suitable solution from an environmental impact and financial point of view. The application of a case study, a residential urban block in Bologna, built in 1945–1965, highlights how the demolition and reconstruction scenario based on circular economy principles presents the lowest environmental impacts and is economically competitive compared to standard deep renovation techniques.