Implementation of integrated renewable energy systems in rural areas. Case study social housing design in San Giorgio, Piacentino

Proposing an environmental innovative urban design linking the renewable energy systems in rural area with the cultural adaptability, this thesis addresses the present day housing deficit and lack of architectural and urban identity in San Giorgio, Piacentino, Italy. The housing grammar incorporates customization that creates housing units specific to a family's needs, incorporating cultural aspects such as courtyards into the design, and simultaneously allows for the creation of a diverse urban fabric. First we reviewed the existing housing need in S.Giorgio to date, which includes new extension for the village urban fabric. This led to our exploration of integrated housing applying the renewable energy systems as a construction and theme method, to our review of historical fragmented housing precedents in S.Georgio, and to our identification of significant cultural typologies of the rural italian housing deficit. With the realization that the current housing market cannot support the current environmental damage is caused by global climate change. Some technologies that are developed for the only purpose of mutual profit without any regard to their environmental impacts and the effects they may have on human health. Intensive and uncontrollable development of human civilization, urbanization and industrialization, have been major causes of environmental pollution. In order to prevent further depletion of natural resources and pollution and degradation of our environment, future technologies must include sustainable development principles and relevant indicators and criteria implementation in technical processing, operations and design. Renewable energy has the potential to bring power, not only in the literal sense, to communities by transforming their prospects. Risks of development and use of pathological technologies and a consequent need for recovery and remediation have to be reduced by the appropriate knowledge distribution and implementation of environmental technologies: control, monitoring and avoidance. In order to facilitate sustainable development, it is necessary to further improve and increase energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy and material resources and related technologies (biomass, solar, hydrogen, geothermal, wind, and mini-hydraulic energy sources, waste recycling). There is urgent need for searching economic possibilities, appropriate policies and market incentives, for sustainable management of natural resources.