The earth sheltered body factory

Energy conservation has been the need of the hour since long, and mankind is constantly striving to achieve the goal of reducing the need of energy, since this is the only way to conserve it i.e., to utilize as low as possible. Apart from the resources, natural or artificial, in the world, we have so far expended most of these in a rather inefficient manner, resulting in belated realization of the same. Earth has been used as a building material through the history, natural caves, spaces carved out of rock or soil. With the growing awareness of energy needs and shortage in the early seventies, the increasing fears of the ozone layer depletion and the global warming phenomena as indicators of impending biological degradation, Earth Sheltering rapidly gained interest both as a conservation method and as an alternative life style. From that, the growth of the earth sheltered facilities has been witnessed recently, as it gives the solution for the dilemma of providing long term humanity needs, along with responding to the recent shortage of capital energy resources. But, as a construction technique, it is dealing with unusual constrains including physiological, lighting and ventilation, undesired effects and impacts, which are completely different than the ones related to the traditional above ground structures. It also encompasses other severe technical aspects, with respect to the soil loads, humidity, dampness, toxic gases penetration, air/water tightness, etc,. In view of above, it was required to come up with passive natural means and technological advancements in assisting the proposal to achieve sustainability. Not only limiting to theoretical framework, but an implantation to solve all of the issues related to design, detail and to ensued its constructability for urban, architecture, structure, technological and services i.e., practical comprehensive solutions. In today’s world, the ideas like preservation and adoptive reuse are being followed as a popular global trend, depicting nostalgia for the past and relevant historic significance also encompassing sustainability with no impact on new built environments. Thus, choosing a vintage city like Valmadrera with its iconic industrial character and the famous Gavazzi villa, providing the challenges to deal with transformation of the city and simultaneously focusing on the implementation of new technological advancements, fulfilling the development plan of PGT and PTCP from Lecco, especially having a better understanding after living in Italy for a couple of years. Accordingly, our proposal focuses on creation of a sustainable-transformation scheme, based on the Therapeutic and Eco-tourism vision, including but are not limited to comprehensive techniques using earth sheltering, renewable energy, green envelope, effective lighting and ventilation tools starting from the urban planning integrating with the confined architectural and technological detailing. The follow-on product of energy recipe, after testing and implementation of various techniques, was made absolute in quality and design for all necessary aspects of the project, resulting in a rather ideal amalgamation of urban, architectural, technological and structural aspects involved. Therefore, achieving a high-class energy efficient building, through a procedure which will definitely be beneficial for future implementation and adoption strategy.

La conservazione dell'energia è da sempre stata una necessità per l'uomo che, ancora oggi, continua a ricercare la maniera di ridurre il suo fabbisogno energetico. Ultimamente si è registrato un aumento del EARTH SHELTERED FACILITIES, fornendo una soluzione al dilemma dell'approvvigionamento a lungo termine relativo alle necessità umane, assieme col rispondere alla recente carenza di capitali di risorse energetiche. Tuttavia ciò si relazione con vincoli inusuali che includono l'effetto e l'impatto di effetti indesiderati fisiologici, come l'illuminazione e la ventilazione. Considerando quanto detto fin ora, era necessario ovviare alla questione con mezzi passivi naturali e innovazioni tecnologiche per raggiungere il proposito della sostenibilità. Tutto ciò non solo limitandosi ad uno schema teoretico bensì al progetto dei dettagli, ottenendo così la fattibilità del costruire servizi urbani, architettonici, strutturali e tecnologici. Dunque, scegliendo una città storica come Valmadrera, con il suo distinto carattere industriale e la famosa Villa Gavazzi, ci imbattiamo nella sfida del gestire la trasformazione della città concentrandoci, al tempo stesso, sull'implementazione di nuove soluzioni tecnologie, a completamento del PGT e PTCP Lecchese. La nostra proposta si basa appunto sulla la creazione di uno schema di trasformazione sostenibile, caratterizzata dalla la visione terapeutica e dell'eco-turismo includendo, tra le altre cose, tecniche globali che usino EARTH SHELTERNIG, energie rinnovabili, cinte verdi, illuminazione efficiente e strumenti di ventilazione che partano da una pianificazione urbana integrata con i dettagli architettonici e tecnologici.