The Italian territory is characterized by a big increase in energetic demand, especially for cooling, mainly related to climate change but also to the poor quality of a consistent construction sector, such as the suburban 1960–1980 building stock. At the same time, the cost of fuel and electricity due to the recent war events forces us to find alternative solutions to save energy in buildings. This study proposes building envelope passive design strategies to improve the energy efficiency of residential buildings in the Mediterranean climate, which is typical of the Italian territory. The main purpose is to provide an overview of potential passive measures to improve the energetic quality of construction in response to the above-mentioned issues and consequently to the increasing restrictions of energy regulations (passive buildings and NzeB). A categorization of passive measures is provided by exploring three different passive behaviors: heat reduction, heat gain, and heat protection. Specific energy-efficient measures for building retrofit are investigated according to this classification, including solar greenhouses, natural ventilation techniques, and radiative, convective, and conductive heat transfer through opaque and transparent envelopes. As the building envelope is mainly responsible for heating exchange and accounts for 50% of the overall energy balance, it is concluded that the “ad hoc” design of building envelopes can significantly improve the overall thermal performance of residential buildings.

Renewable energy communities (RECs) are clean energy, emergent initiatives that invest in people cooperation in order to meet consumption needs and achieve environmental goals. The main aim of the study is to explore the potential of the renewable energy community in Italy by identifying a methodological perspective to describe the development processes and encourage the diffusion of multi-stakeholders’ initiatives across the Italian territory. To do so, we propose a general analysis of the renewable energy community framework, starting with the regulatory and technical–administrative state of the art that regulates renewable energy communities in Italy, based on information from the literature. Then, we interpret the procedure of REC initiatives by systematizing the steps of energy community formation and their characteristics, coming from a literature review of experiences achieved at a national level. Much literature is available on renewable energy technologies, but existing research lacks assessments regarding the description of the formation process of local energy systems applied to realized experiences. To do this, two strategies for the energy community are proposed through a comparative case study analysis to provide a framework for the emerging phenomenon and analyze and define the types of renewable energy communities based on realized experiences in Italy.

During emergencies, healthcare is generally provided by tents and temporary shelters, without considering the environmental and social impact of the structures as a priority, in favor of swift response. The resultant constructions intended as a temporary solution often persist for a long time. This paper aims to analyze an alternative and innovative modular structure designed as a transitory solution in emergencies and everyday life. The aim of this study is to assess and compare the energetic performance of a modular adaptive model for basic healthcare for people who are not subscribed to the Italian National Health System. The main goal is to challenge standard models by proposing a new model able to diminish the weaknesses of the current sanitary models, to improve the social conditions, flexibility and energy efficiency, and the thermal comfort of the occupants. In the first part of the paper, the conceptual framework and the preliminary design of the model are described by investigating the benefits of a safe space as a generator space for care services and the community. In the second part, the technological requirements of the system are defined by comparing the use of different panel structures and low-impact technologies. The energy efficiency and environmental impact of the model are assessed by comparing several panel structures in two different climatic areas in Italy (northern and Mediterranean areas) using SketchUp and EnergyPlus simulation. As a result, different configurations of the model are proposed according to the different climatic areas in order to optimize the model, from both an architectural and a technological point of view (box and panel composition).

This paper is based on the results of the research project PROFICIENT–SME Network Business Model for Collective Self-Organized Processes in the Construction and Retrofit of Energy-Efficient Residential Districts [European Union (EU) 7th Framework Program 2012–2016], which aimed to create large business opportunities for small medium enterprises (SMEs) in the construction sector. This was achieved by exploiting the emerging process of collective self-organized (CSO) housing by constructing and retrofitting energy-efficient residential districts. The primary goal is to illustrate the potential of an optimized energy-saving approach at a district level within the CSO housing model. The self-organized housing process, through which a group of homeowners performs new construction or retrofits projects at a district scale, reflects a growing awareness of sustainability and energy-efficient building (EeB) technologies. This awareness highlights an emergent strategy that can satisfy the goal of the 20-20-20 EU energy policies. A methodology is proposed to guide the most appropriate business cases that will enable SMEs to identify the most efficient and effective applications of technical solutions, mainly focusing on district generation systems on a large scale. Supporting the methodology is an existing case study and a virtual simulation, which demonstrate how the business model to optimize energy savings can be led by an SME.

The access to basic healthcare for people who are not registered in the national health system is nowadays a very urgent problem, both in Italy and in the rest of the world. Immigration and poverty are only some of the factors that make one of the primary rights of humanity—healthcare—not a right for everyone. The main problems, which have grown exponentially in the last decade, are at operational level, due to the lack of personnel (mostly volunteers) and the lack of spaces. This paper illustrates procedures and techniques for the design of a small emergency structure that can be moved and positioned in urban contexts. The first part consists of a deep analysis of the problem and of the state of the art of existing typologies. The second part is dedicated to the conceptual framework (requirements, conceptual model) and to the definition of the preliminary design for the new approach to basic non-conventional sanitary spaces. Finally, a virtual case study (project application) in Italy is presented.