Reuse of Vernacular Architecture in Minor Alpine Settlements: A Multi-Attribute Model for Sustainability Appraisal

Carlo Antonio Stival, Raul Berto, Pierluigi Morano and Paolo Rosato
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Carlo Antonio Stival: Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, Via A. Valerio 6/1, 34127 Trieste, Italy
Raul Berto: Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, Via A. Valerio 6/1, 34127 Trieste, Italy
Pierluigi Morano: Department of Science of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Polytechnic of Bari, Via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 16, 1-27

Abstract: In the marginal areas of the Alps, there is a huge built heritage expressed by local communities, resulting in an architectural model that is sustainable in terms of its material use, resource exploitation, and landscape coherence. Although buildings in these small settlements have been largely protected from transformation, currently this heritage is largely underused. Thus, it is desirable to consider reuse and enhancement actions that can combine both economic viability and the protection of historic, cultural and architectural values. This paper presents a multi-attribute model for the evaluation of sustainability in reuse projects concerning traditional buildings in the Italian Alpine settlements. For the appraisal of sustainability, the model uses relevant parameters aggregated into three macro-indicators. The model was calibrated by an expert panel and tested on reuse projects in Sauris, in north-eastern Italy, where residential building type is characterized by specific techniques that are expressions of community traditions. The main results show that the attributes aggregation function is predominantly andness in all nodes. A short range in sustainability assessment is a predictable result, as the buildings used for the model’s application give a common judgment in some attributes. Finally, activities for widespread hospitality generate a greater expected return compared to commercial services.

Keywords: economic sustainability; vernacular architectural heritage; multi-attribute model; sustainability appraisal; reuse project (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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