Category:EERG-Polimi

PassREg aspiring regions in Italy

In Italy some regions started process to became passive house regions with renewables energy, aspiring to examples, solutions and models developed in the PassREg project. This could be relevant for the whole mediterranean area, with its specific features and opportunities.

In addition to the city of Cesena, which is active as partner in the PassREg project, the following other regions are involved with the guide of the End-use Efficiency Research Group of Politecnico di Milano:

• Catania district and Sicily region
• Lonato municipality and Lombardia region
• Aglientu municipality in Sardinia region
• San Giovanni Lupatoto municipality (Verona)
• Pesaro e Urbino district
• Foggia district
• Cesena municipality - PassREg Partner (see dedicated page)
  
  

Catania district, in Sicily, shows important developments are moving from a bright exemplary project where zero energy target is reached by adopting Passive House standard and integrated renewable energy systems. This residential building made to rise attention of many people in building sector and among policy makers. They can see an affordable solution to realize a zero energy building with pleasant architectural aspect. Many people are taking part to events and open-door visits presenting it.

These are increasing awareness and knowledge both for common users both for designers and builders, and requests of possible new passive houses with renewable energy projects are coming for new buildings and renovations. Building sector operators can catch the opportunity in the market of high comfort and quality buildings with very low energy costs, with more stable and successful projects despite economic crisis.

Training activities are starting particularly for new passive house designers with a dedicated post-degree master under developing in Catania, to give high level knowledge in ecologic and zero energy building with an holistic approach.

The same steps can be seen in Lombardia region, particularly in Lonato del Garda, a small town where two different buildings were recently built according passive house standard with renewables, representing important examples respectively of zero energy single family house and an apartment block for social housing, particularly relevant to provide low costs apartments for low-incomes families.

Many official visits were organized to directly present these beacon projects to building users, designers and other stakeholders. Particularly in the single family house in Lonato, many sessions were held for young students who demonstrated high interest for passive house solutions. The buildings was presented also by local media and televisions.

In other regions new beacon projects are under development, as in municipality of Aglientu where a passive house is now in design phase to be built in the pleasant landscape of a strategic touristic area in the north of Sardinia.

In all italian PassREg aspiring regions, involved policy makers are evaluating to consider passive house features in their local building regulations and in possible tenders for new buildings and renovations in public sector. For instance this was already happened in San Giovanni Lupatoto, a small town near Verona and Lonato, where municipality are building a public school according passive house standard.