- 2010, January - Published the article The changing role of life cycle phases, subsystems and materials in the LCA of low energy buildings.
Authors: Ing. Gian Andrea Blengini, Ing. Tiziana Di Carlo
International journal Energy and Buildings (ISSN:0378-7788 DOI:10.1016/j.enbuild.2009.12.009)

Buy the article


- From 2004 to 2009, we took part in the “Notice for model and strategic interventions in the energy field” of the Piedmont Region authority receiving a relevant contribution for the "extra costs" due to energetically efficient improvements. In particular, the single-family house in Morozzo was the first building in Piedmont to receive the grant in 2004. There are a wide number of case studies of different building types, building techniques and uses, from the renovation of a farm house to industrial buildings. An important verification that testimonies how energy efficiency concerns all building types and how climatic comfort can be achieved for houses, public spaces and workplace alike. Many factors are to be considered in evaluating the sustainability of an intervention, including particularly building materials and the tuning of volumes according to function, as well as the systems used and the energy source, but as today priority goes to the energy need during life cycle and land consumption. Two buildings of ours are undergoing a detailed monitoring of consumptions. On two more it will be active within 2009. The data thus obtained, compared with the results of LCA studies will contribute to an important database for the development of energy efficiency.

- In 2008, the study's consultant 'Informatica System srl for development of ISECO , a energy performance verification software of a proposed building. An application for Autodesk ®, specifically Revit ® Architecture, which allows real time monitoring of raw data useful energy of a building during the preparation of three-dimensional model. This allows, from the early stages, choosing the guidelines, the best performing and stratigraphy windows on the building project.

- 2008/04/24-25, SAM2, Nantes, France International Convention on materials, society, sustainability - presentation of the research.

2006-2008 In collaboration with: Turin Polytechnic’s DITAG (Land, Environment and Geo-Engineering Department). DITAG conducted an LCA study on the construction of a highly efficient house and our studio followed the project in terms of architecture, energy, systems and structure. We conducted an evaluation of the energy costs for the whole project: from the collection-transformation-transport of raw materials to the production of the various building elements, to the costs of the building site, the efficiency in use of the building, up to the disposal and recycling of rubbles. We highlighted the costs in term of carbon emissions for all the materials used, the problems of composite materials , the energy advantage of a material compared to another. It is an on going collaboration and the research now continues on other topics and aspects of sustainability in the building sector.

The ensuing publications:
VALUTAZIONE DELLA SOSTENIBILITA’ AMBIENTALE DI UNA CASA A BASSO CONSUMO ENERGETICO CON METODOLOGIA LCA (LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT) ("Evaluation of Environmental Sustainability of a House with Low Energy Consumption with LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) methodology")Eng. Gian Andrea Blengini, Eng. Tiziana Di Carlo, Dr. Agnese Fiorenza, Eng. Katia Zavaglia. In collaboration with Studio Roatta Architetti Associati – Martino Roatta, Maurizio Roatta.

- Research Report (in italian).

- Summary table of the LCA study with tree diagrams of the energy costs of the various life cycle phases and evaluations for each material.

1999-2001 As teaching collaborators in the fifth year workshops at the Turin Polythecnic’s School of Architecture, under the guidance of professor Lorenzo Mamino, we took part in a research on the building types and techniques of historical settlements in the higher valleys in the Mondovì valleys area.

The ensuing publications:
- Martino Roatta, Maurizio Roatta, Gli edifici per l'abitazione e il lavoro. Tipologia, insediamenti, tecnologia e materiali.
("Buildings for living and working. Typology, setting, technology and materials") in AA.VV. “Le risorse culturali delle valli monregalesi e la loro storia - Valli Monregalesi: immagini di un paesaggio culturale 2” edited by Andreina Griseri, G. Galante Garrone, Sandro Lombardini, Lorenzo Mamino, Angelo Torre; L'Artistica, Savigliano, 1999.
- edited by Lorenzo Mamino , Atlante dell’edilizia montana nelle Alte Valli del Cuneese – 1. Le Valli Monregalesi ("Atlas of Mountain Building in Cuneo Higher Valleys - 1. The Valleys of Mondovì"), 2001 Piedmont Region , Cuneo Province, Mountain Community of the Valleys of Mondovì, Turin Polytechnic.