Z E M C H 2 0 1 2 I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o n f e r e n c e
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These last one elements are embodied in the parapet of the terrace and are called
puleri
.
The cane roofing is kept in place by two purlins, one lower and one upper, attached to
the wooden beams. Normally the roof is laid in June and removed in September, in this
way it does not reduce the daylight flow, during the winter season
.
In addition, the houses have a secondary shading system; in fact for each window you
have a
cassina
, that is a local version of the Venetian blind: rolling and with fixed blades.
The ventilation
A double opening system assures the natural ventilation in the Filicudian house. In fact,
in addition to the ordinary windows, normally set up in the façade, with usual shapes and
dimensions, that bring light and air, they have some openings exclusively assigned for
the ventilation of the rooms.
They have rather smaller dimensions and are squared, if they are situated over the
regular windows (as an overpanel), or circular, when they are located alongside the
window. In the internal wall you have a draught opening, generally half moon shaped.
The rainwater collection
The rainwater is a precious resource in Filicudi, because springs or courses of water are
non-existent, including in other Aeolian islands. So you must collect and preserve it in a
underground cistern. Usually it is under the terrace and its roof is part of the pavement
and the parapet access-point is embodied in the boundary wall.
The drain pipes are made by stacking conically clay units, which are called
catusi
. Often
they are substituted with a copper pipe in the refurbishment works, because it is longer
lasting.
On the foot of the pipe there is a flap which can be lowered (called in Italian
travasatore
)
which is useful to discard the first water of the raining season. In this way you can wash
the roof and the terrace from the dust accumulated during the dry season and preserve
the cistern from the dirt.
The spontaneous architecture and the energy saving standards
The analysis carried out shows clearly the perfect correspondence between the
Filicudian house and the rules of the Energy saving standards; so it is a sustainable
building
ante litteram
.
In Italy the evolution of this subject is very similar to those in the other countries. Limiting
the discussion to the principal steps, you know that, the first Italian law, regarding the
energy saving, was approved at the end of the 1970s (L.N. 373/76). It was useful
exclusively to reduce the heat transfer of the building envelope. In the early 1990s
another law was passed regarding the efficiency of the heating systems (L.N. 10/90).
Since the middle of 2010 attention was directed to the insulation of the roof and external
walls and to the set up of heating systems, without any particular influence on the
architectonical design. Moreover, only recently the attention has been partially directed
to the summer period, which is stronger for the southern countries.
The European dir. 2002/91/CE represents a main step. It is addresses the introduction of
the Energy Performance Certificate. In it you can find advice to take into account the
position and the orientation of buildings (annex 1.f) and the natural ventilation (annex
1.h). In Italy it was rolled out after many years of delay, with the D. Lgs. 192/2005,
amended and completed by D. Lgs. 311/2006; here you have an explicit reference to this
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Unfortunately, due to the seasonal use of the houses, it is common to let the roofing remain during the
winter as well. In fact it is not unnecessary, but not harmful because the houses are not inhabited. The
canes are combined with corrugated plastic sheets to prevent that the winds and rain from destroying
them. In this case the canes are used in two layers with the corrugated plastic sandwiched between.
This system hides the unattractive sheet.
