R o o f i n g S y s t e m S u s t a i n a b i l i t y
599
ROOFING SYSTEM SUSTAINABILITY: A CASE STUDY OF
“LE ALBERE” NEIGHBOURHOOD
Michela Dalprà
1
, Maria Cristina Grillo
2
& Antonio Frattari
3
1
Researcher, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Trento, Italy,
2
PhD student, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Trento, Italy,
3
Full professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Trento, Italy,
Abstract
The building and construction sector is one of the major responsible of the negative
environmental impacts. Indeed, it accounts for the largest share in the use of natural
resources, by land use, by materials extraction and in greenhouse gasses emissions.
Nowadays, it is possible to quantify the environmental impact of buildings by using
different typologies of instruments, such as rating systems and Life Cycle Assessment
(LCA). Using rating systems allow measuring the sustainability level of whole buildings,
instead the use of LCA permits to evaluate with synthetic indicators the environmental
impact related to materials, products and assemblies.
This paper shows the first results of a research study, which focuses on the verification
and validation of a methodology for defining the sustainability of a building sub-
assembly, integrating LCA tool with green building rating systems. The case study is the
roofing system used for the buildings of “Le Albere” neighbourhood, located in Trento
(Trentino Alto Adige region, Italy).
Thanks to the integration of these two sustainability evaluation tools, it was possible to
identify strengths and weaknesses of the adopted construction system and suggest
improvements both for the assembly and single materials, in order to increase the
sustainability of the elements in the future applications.
Keywords:
BSA tools,
rating systems, LEED, LCA, sustainability, building sub-assembly,
roofing system
Introduction
In 2006 the European construction sector was responsible for the 38% of the energy
consumption of the European Union. Furthermore this sector has a great role in
greenhouse gasses emissions, as it is demonstrated by the progressive increase of
carbon dioxide rate in the atmosphere. It was estimated that from 1850 to 2000, the
carbon dioxide rate increased of the 25% (W. Knorr, 2009) and it could reach the 50% in
the decades to come.
Focusing the attention on the role of the Italian construction sector, it is possible to
observe that its energy consumption in 2007 was equal to the 34% of the national one
and its tendency is to further increase.
For this reason, it is necessary to reduce its impact through the construction of less
impacting buildings, that should be designed, built and maintained in a more responsible
way according to the definition of sustainable development, considering the economic,
social and environmental aspects.
For realizing buildings able to satisfy such features it is important to establish an
equilibrated relationship with the environment, conjugating the issues concerning the
living quality, the use of materials and resources, the energy consumption, the pollution
of the environmental matrixes (water, air, ground).
