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Today architectural design is faced with the complex relationship between time and sustainability. In this perspective, the article reports the results of an articulated research activity, which highlights how the need for a temporary location or use of spaces can be achieved with an appropriate level of environmental sustainability, and only through long-term use of resources during the entire life cycle. The concept of "long-lasting temporariness" is outlined, based on the extension of the life of artefacts and on the reuse/recycling of resources at the end of their life, when the reversibility of construction systems, the circularity of materials, and the life cycle management of material and energy flows assume a paradigmatic role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides LCA reference benchmarks for residential buildings in Northern Italy and Denmark. Furthermore, the benchmark derivation process is analysed to highlight the trade-offs that relate to the methodological choices made by benchmark developers, considering the objectives of the stakeholders. Reference benchmarks for the two contexts are calculated based on national samples of residential buildings. A comparative analysis pinpoints the methodological factors regarding system boundaries, inventory requirements and databases that, from a calculation aspect, affect the benchmarks. Results thus highlight the uniqueness of each benchmarking system put into practice, and emphasize the need for clear calculation rules and transparency within each benchmark system. The identified trade-offs from the derivation process furthermore indicate the inherent need to balance the different interests relating to the stakeholders' roles when applying the benchmark. The mapping of different trade-offs presented in this study provides benchmark stakeholders with an overview that allows for open discussion about which priorities and choices will fit a specific context of benchmark application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • LCA compares a demountable composite structure with conventional monolithic ones. • Two entire life cycles of building materials are analysed. • Several impact categories are evaluated within the comparative LCA. • The saving of emissions promoted by the reuse of structural elements is quantified. Abstract This paper presents an assessment and quantification of the environmental impacts arising from different steel-concrete composite floor systems. In particular, a demountable composite floor system using pretensioned high-strength friction grip bolts as shear connectors is compared with three conventional composite floor systems that use welded shear studs as shear connectors. The first type promotes the end-of-life scenario of disassembly and reuse of structural elements, while the conventional systems are related to the current practices of waste management for building materials, i.e. demolition and recycling. To analyse these different structural systems and relative scenarios, a comparative Life Cycle Assessment investigating two entire life cycles of the materials is developed. Based on the evaluation of several impact categories, the building with demountable composite floor system is identified as the most environmentally friendly solution among all the considered structural solutions, and the saving of emissions and resources is quantified for each impact category. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The building sector is one of the largest consumers of natural resources and energy in the world. Design strategies to improve the energy efficiency can decrease the negative impacts of a building. In order to evaluate and select the most appropriate design strategies for buildings, they should be analysed through a multidisciplinary approach based on sustainable development. The objective of this study is to propose a method that combines adaptive thermal comfort, climate change, life cycle assessment, life cycle cost analysis and multi-criteria decision making to help selecting the best design strategies to improve the sustainability of buildings. The method presented herein is based on a system of indicators that allows a comprehensive evaluation of design strategies. A multi-family social building, located in Milan, northern Italy, was used as a case study considering a 100-year lifespan. Six design strategies were evaluated. The EnergyPlus computer programme was used to estimate the annual energy demand for air-conditioning alone, with and without the design strategies. Three different databases were used to perform the life cycle analysis. For the life cycle cost analysis, the cost of each strategy was estimated based on the pricelist of the Milan Chamber of Commerce ( Camera di Commercio di Milano ). The results show that there will be an average increase of 53% in the cooling energy demand and a decrease of 49% in the heating energy demand in 2080 compared to the consumption in 2017. The design strategy with the highest level of sustainability was a reinforced concrete frame with rectified bricks, followed by a reinforced concrete frame with cellular concrete blocks and by cross-laminated timber (X-Lam) and wood fibre. This research highlighted the need for the use of a multi-criteria method to ensure the right selection of design strategies to obtain more sustainable buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resilience is defined as the capacity of a system to cope with impacts by minimising their effects (through adaptation and mitigation). In practice, upstream measures on the causes, in terms of reducing the emissions or using resource more efficiently, should constitute the main action strategy for reducing the environmental impacts. The article describes the results of a research aiming at quantifing the average environmental impacts associated with the current housing stock in Europe through the construction of statistically-based representative models and the application of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method. Knowledge of the characteristics and the environmental performances of the building stock - particularly the residential building stock - is of fundamental importance to establish effective policies and priority actions for the prevention of impacts and the strengthening of the resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Politecnico di Milano University worked for the Italian Ministry of Environment, land and sea on the sustainability assessment of Expo Milan 2015 self-built temporary pavilions. The work has been focused on the improvement of the buildings environmental performances. Given the buildings short durability in place (Expo lasts for 6 months), the strategies for their end of life are of great importance for the carbon footprint reduction. Starting from the specific work on Expo Milan 2015, the Politecnico di Milano working group proceeded with the methodology research about this issue, applicable also to future events. This paper presents the different relevant aspects of mega events temporary buildings end of life management; dealing with methodological, technical and managerial aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation in the construction industry is often driven by the legislation and by the market mechanisms. After the lever of energy efficiency, new goals are looming on the horizon towards sustainability of interventions. The essay aims to build, with particular reference to the Italian context, a framework of policies, of regulatory pathways and of the initiatives geared towards sustainability, which are determining and will determine the routes of environmental innovation. Central to all these paths is the life-cycle approach and the environmental evaluation based on LCA. Remarkable is the effort that research is producing to refine the assessment tools and the decision support tools toward a systemic vision of sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

L'innovazione nel settore edilizio è spesso trainata dalla normativa e dai meccanismi di mercato. Superata la leva dell'efficienza energetica, all'orizzonte si profilano nuovi obiettivi orientati alla sostenibilità degli interventi. Il saggio mira a costruire, con particolare riferimento al contesto italiano, il quadro delle politiche, dei percorsi normativi e delle iniziative orientate alla sostenibilità, che stanno determinando e determineranno percorsi di innovazione ambientale. Centrale in tutti questi percorsi è l'approccio al ciclo di vita e la valutazione ambientale basata sul metodo LCA. Notevole è lo sforzo che la ricerca sta producendo per raffinare gli strumenti di valutazione e supporto alle decisioni, verso una visione sistemica della sostenibilità. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]