Getting to Zero - Beyond Energy Transition Towards Carbon-Neutral Mediterranean Cities - Selected Papers from the World Renewable Energy Congress Med Green Forum 2024

This book contains selected papers from the World Renewable Energy Congress and Network Forum's seventh edition of the biannual Med Green Forum (MGF2024) that highlight opportunities for energy transition based on the principles of efficiency, urban/building integration, and ecology. Contributions explore possible carbon-neutral solutions, technologies, strategies, processes, and policies for Mediterranean cities. The book addresses the transformation in the unique socio-climatic and cultural context of the Mediterranean basin, cities, and architecture, a transversal topic deeply related to social dynamics and new energy landscapes.

List of contents

Part I. LANDSCAPE AND CITIES IN TRANSITION.- Chapter 1. What needs to be demonstrated: The potential benefits of an NBS (Nature-Based Solutions) project in a post-disaster reconstruction context, the case of the reconstruction of the Al Haouz region in Morocco.- Chapter 2. Energy transition and environmental sustainability in large commercial systems. A research project example.- Chapter 3. A Solarpunk Vision of the City and its Infrastructure.- Chapter 4. Innovative approaches for Cultural Heritage renovation in the Mediterranean area.- Chapter 5. Exploring the intersection of History and Morphology: A comparative study of the spatial formation in the early development of the Medina of Fez.- Chapter 6. A physics-based urban digital twin for designing and renovating sustainable cities.- Chapter 7. Analysing the Resilience of Microgrids as they Transition from Standalone to Grid-connected systems.- Chapter 8. Integrating transitions in climate-adaptive design. A Nature-based approach towards next resilient amphibious urban environments along Med coasts.- Chapter 9. Towards Sustainable and Regenerative Cities: Vertical Farming as a Solution for Achieving Zero-Carbon Cities and Climate Neutrality - A Case Study of a Mediterranean City.- Chapter 10. ECOLOGICAL AND BIOREGIONAL TRANSITION FOR MANHATTAN .- Chapter 11. Living labs to design the transition towards Carbon neutrality of Mediterranean Islands.- Chapter 12. Designing Nature Based Solutions for Climate Neutrality of school communities.- Chapter 13. Tailored solutions for the sustainable transition of the built environment: the specific context as information source.- Chapter 14. Seaweed House 2.0 Methods and Techniques to Harmonize and Improve the Living and Urban of Future Cities, Imitating Nature.- Chapter 15. SuDS-Sustainable Drainage Systems in city center. Open problems and technological solutions.- Chapter 16. Mapping urban local metabolism to support Building Integrated Agriculture.- Chapter 17. PV Cool: a hybrid solution for power and cooling generation.- Chapter 18.  Recovering street life through urban climate control strategies: a design and assessment tool.- Chapter 19. Ventilation results and CFD model formulation for street canyons applied to climate control strategies.- Chapter 20. Integrated Methodology for Thermal Comfort Assessment in Urban Environments: Validation in the City of Seville, Spain.- Chapter 21. Microclimate analysis of urban comfort outdoors by studying anthropogenic heat in urban canyons.- Chapter 22. Wind farms and Diachronic Landscapes: The identity of sustainability.- Chapter 23. Energy and Environmental refurbishment of the residential complex of Torrevecchia in Rome: Retrofitting and Demand Response Activities.- Chapter 24. Shifting to a new sustainable paradigm: nature-based solutions and circular design for the urban regeneration.- Chapter 25. An Advanced Framework for Regenerative Design in Digital and Physical Prototyping. Crafting a Comprehensive Atlas for Predictive Modeling and Adaptive Technologies in Climate Change Scenario Analysis.- Chapter 26. Adaptive technologies in flooding scenarios through NBS/SUDS. The experimentation of an innovative protocol for the resilience and biodiversity protection on the coast of Reggio Calabria.- Chapter 27. New forms of interaction  between infrastructure and the city The experience of the intensive forest in the Garbatella park in Rome.- Chapter 28. A Novel Collaborative Stakeholder Development Tool Using Energy System Optimisation and Visual Interface for Workshop Facilitation.- Chapter 29. Cities and decarbonisation: an assessment model for the technological reconfiguration of proximity open spaces .- Chapter 30.  Smart Biophilic cities: green and innovative digital solutions for sustainable urban development.- Chapter 31. 'Getting to zero' the university buildings stock. Boosting the renovation strategy and the action plan of the University of Florence.- Chapter 32. The Technological Design of Renewable Energy Communities: architectural implication of an holistic approach.- Chapter 33. Climate Neutrality and Global Perspective for Net Zero Policies and Buildings.- Chapter 34. CONSTRUCTING AND CULTIVATING "THE URBAN NATURE".- Chapter 35. Comparative Analysis of the energetic performance of Buildings Integrated Semi-Transparent PV glazing systems in the climate of Hungary and Syria Title.- Part II. ARCHITECTURES FOR TOMORROW.- Chapter 36. Mediterranean Under Pressure: Architectures resistance to the Climate Emergency.- Chapter 37. Madonie Green Walls Revolution sustainable revitalization and enhancement of Sicilian inner rural areas.- Chapter 38. Explaining Positive Building definition: A Review and Revision.- Chapter 39. Energy retrofit of non-monumental, historic buildings: Limitations and opportunities of technological advances.- Chapter 40. A multi-criteria evaluation tool for the adaptive regeneration of the residential heritage.- Chapter 41. Technological and environmental strategies for the redevelopment of Outdoor Learning spaces and the establishment of Energy Hubs in school buildings.- Chapter 42. Bioclimatic Urban Renewal approach on an Historical Disused Military Area in Naples.- Chapter 43. CIS Roma Scuole Verdi: a Programme to Improve Energy Efficiency and Decarbonization  by Retrofitting School Buildings .- Chapter 44. Adaptive Approaches to Attain Net Zero through Carbon Sequestration in Heritage Sites of Coastal Mediterranean Cities.- Chapter 45. Investigating the Effect of Geometry to Approach Positive Buildings.- Chapter 46. Architectural treatments for the integration of solar energy systems on the roofs of residential buildings as an alternative solution to the energy crisis in Syria.- Chapter 47. Comfort at work: Analysis, evaluation and design proposal for an industrial building in northern Italy.- Chapter 48. Architectural regeneration between innovative technologies and cultural heritage: adaptive reuse of school buildings.- Chapter 49. Assessing climate change adaptation of buildings: a review of performance indicators in Green Building Rating Systems.- Chapter 50. Open-source tools to support local circular co-design.- Chapter 51. Nature positive buildings: systemic approaches and technological design experimentation.- Chapter 52. Holistic redevelopment of a coastal heritage area in Palermo (IT).- Chapter 53. Mediterranean synergies for the energy renovation of university buildings: three pilot projects in Palestine, Tunisia, and Italy.- Chapter 54. The Digitalization of Participatory Approaches.- Chapter 55. GREEN ARCHITECTURE, NZEB AND CLIMATE NEUTRALITY.  AN INTERVENTION DESIGN MODEL FOR DEEP RENOVATION OF PUBLIC HOUSING.- Chapter 56. Environment, Technology, Architecture. Application of green technologies for the rehabilitation and energy renovation of the modern built heritage.- Chapter 57. Adopting circular economy strategies in building regeneration through a holistic approach.- Part III.  ECO-TECHNOLOGIES AND MATERIALS.- Chapter 58. European Drive to use Photovoltaic Application in New Buildings in 2025.- Chapter 59. Material synergies and industrial symbiosis to valorise granite scraps from quarries in Sardinia.- Chapter 60. Biobased materials for the improvement of human quality life a Km 0.- Chapter 61. Bio-based materials to foster efficient retrofitting of the existing building stock Cork and hemp to support environmental transition preserving socio-cultural values.- Chapter 62. Reusing olive pomace waste for energy saving applications in construction: development of a panel prototype.- Chapter 63. Mapping local resources in the South-East of France bio-region : climate as project material.- Chapter 63. Mapping local resources in the South-East of France bio-region : climate as project material.- Chapter 64. Experimental development and proof of concept for natural-based cool pavements.- Chapter 65. Green Responsive System (GRS): A Paradigm Shift in Urban Decarbonization in the Mediterranean Context.- Chapter 66. A zero-waste strategy toward carbon neutrality. Circular technology experimentations for life extension of non-recyclable plastic packaging.- Chapter 67. Eco-Design for Transition Architecture: Comparative Analysis for an a-scalar methodology using PNACC-defined green actions and pre-design according to Life Cycle Thinking.- Chapter 68. An Integrated Approach towards Smart Building Strategies to Mitigate Climate Change and attain the SDGs in Architectural Education and Knowledge to Reach Net Zero .- Chapter 69. When architectural design unveils the ethical and aesthetic value of BIPV: the Santa Verdiana demo case.- Chapter 70. Circular building production in the South Mediterranean area: the experience of CUBÂTI Project.- Chapter 71. From waste to resource using recycled stone in 3D Printed building elements.- Chapter 72. Low carbon bio-based building materials from organic waste: a closed-loop production model  within circular neighborhoods.- Part IV. PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES.- Chapter 73. Empowering Circular Economy Transition in the Building Sector: A Stakeholder-Centric Approach in the Design Phase for Climate Change Mitigation.- Chapter 74. ESG Measurement Tool: An approach to measure the sustainability introduced in real estate requalification projects.- Chapter 75. A systemic design-led participatory process to address meaningful impact pathways for NetZero cities.- Chapter 76. Building BIM Competence:  Learning in the DIGITAL DECATHLON.- Chapter 77. Environmental Comfort and Well-being: Unlocking Complexities of Human Behaviour towards Climate Change Mitigation - Assessment of an Apartment in a Selected Hot Urban Area in the Mediterranean Region.- Chapter 78. Housing adaptability for aging in place. Sustainable approaches to improve environmental comfort.- Chapter 79. The Moroccan Medina: Between Preservation and Sustainability in Light of the HUL recommendation.- Chapter 80. Modelling sustainable climate shelters: analysis of energy dynamics and comfort index at a public transport stop.- Chapter 81. Proposal of a Framework to Evaluate the Building Performance of Local Healthcare Facilities.- Chapter 82. Which Living Lab processes for the Renewable Energy Communities? A pilot experimentation in NRRP-T4Y Research.- Chapter 83. MED_MESS Diversity, creative entropy and  Mediterranean informality practices. Interdisciplinary and interscalar analysis of urban open spaces  as a knowledge-sharing tool for the cities' climate resilience.- Chapter 84. Agile Approach to Sustainable-Decarbonized Strategic Transition Mediterranean Facility Management Industries: Novel Case Study in Egypt.Chapter 45. Investigating the Effect of Geometry to Approach Positive Buildings.- Chapter 46. Architectural treatments for the integration of solar energy systems on the roofs of residential buildings as an alternative solution to the energy crisis in Syria.- Chapter 47. Comfort at work: Analysis, evaluation and design proposal for an industrial building in northern Italy.- Chapter 48. Architectural regeneration between innovative technologies and cultural heritage: adaptive reuse of school buildings.- Chapter 49. Assessing climate change adaptation of buildings: a review of performance indicators in Green Building Rating Systems.- Chapter 50. Open-source tools to support local circular co-design.- Chapter 51. Nature positive buildings: systemic approaches and technological design experimentation.- Chapter 52. Holistic redevelopment of a coastal heritage area in Palermo (IT).- Chapter 53. Mediterranean synergies for the energy renovation of university buildings: three pilot projects in Palestine, Tunisia, and Italy.- Chapter 54. The Digitalization of Participatory Approaches.- Chapter 55. GREEN ARCHITECTURE, NZEB AND CLIMATE NEUTRALITY.  AN INTERVENTION DESIGN MODEL FOR DEEP RENOVATION OF PUBLIC HOUSING.- Chapter 56. Environment, Technology, Architecture. Application of green technologies for the rehabilitation and energy renovation of the modern built heritage.- Chapter 57. Adopting circular economy strategies in building regeneration through a holistic approach.- Part III.  ECO-TECHNOLOGIES AND MATERIALS.- Chapter 58. European Drive to use Photovoltaic Application in New Buildings in 2025.- Chapter 59. Material synergies and industrial symbiosis to valorise granite scraps from quarries in Sardinia.- Chapter 60. Biobased materials for the improvement of human quality life a Km 0.- Chapter 61. Bio-based materials to foster efficient retrofitting of the existing building stock Cork and hemp to support environmental transition preserving socio-cultural values.- Chapter 62. Reusing olive pomace waste for energy saving applications in construction: development of a panel prototype.- Chapter 63. Mapping local resources in the South-East of France bio-region : climate as project material.- Chapter 63. Mapping local resources in the South-East of France bio-region : climate as project material.- Chapter 64. Experimental development and proof of concept for natural-based cool pavements.- Chapter 65. Green Responsive System (GRS): A Paradigm Shift in Urban Decarbonization in the Mediterranean Context.- Chapter 66. A zero-waste strategy toward carbon neutrality. Circular technology experimentations for life extension of non-recyclable plastic packaging.- Chapter 67. Eco-Design for Transition Architecture: Comparative Analysis for an a-scalar methodology using PNACC-defined green actions and pre-design according to Life Cycle Thinking.- Chapter 68. An Integrated Approach towards Smart Building Strategies to Mitigate Climate Change and attain the SDGs in Architectural Education and Knowledge to Reach Net Zero .- Chapter 69. When architectural design unveils the ethical and aesthetic value of BIPV: the Santa Verdiana demo case.- Chapter 70. Circular building production in the South Mediterranean area: the experience of CUBÂTI Project.- Chapter 71. From waste to resource using recycled stone in 3D Printed building elements.- Chapter 72. Low carbon bio-based building materials from organic waste: a closed-loop production model  within circular neighborhoods.- Part IV. PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES.- Chapter 73. Empowering Circular Economy Transition in the Building Sector: A Stakeholder-Centric Approach in the Design Phase for Climate Change Mitigation.- Chapter 74. ESG Measurement Tool: An approach to measure the sustainability introduced in real estate requalification projects.- Chapter 75. A systemic design-led participatory process to address meaningful impact pathways for NetZero cities.- Chapter 76. Building BIM Competence:  Learning in the DIGITAL DECATHLON.- Chapter 77. Environmental Comfort and Well-being: Unlocking Complexities of Human Behaviour towards Climate Change Mitigation - Assessment of an Apartment in a Selected Hot Urban Area in the Mediterranean Region.- Chapter 78. Housing adaptability for aging in place. Sustainable approaches to improve environmental comfort.- Chapter 79. The Moroccan Medina: Between Preservation and Sustainability in Light of the HUL recommendation.- Chapter 80. Modelling sustainable climate shelters: analysis of energy dynamics and comfort index at a public transport stop.- Chapter 81. Proposal of a Framework to Evaluate the Building Performance of Local Healthcare Facilities.- Chapter 82. Which Living Lab processes for the Renewable Energy Communities? A pilot experimentation in NRRP-T4Y Research.- Chapter 83. MED_MESS Diversity, creative entropy and  Mediterranean informality practices. Interdisciplinary and interscalar analysis of urban open spaces  as a knowledge-sharing tool for the cities' climate resilience.- Chapter 84. Agile Approach to Sustainable-Decarbonized Strategic Transition Mediterranean Facility Management Industries: Novel Case Study in Egypt.

About the author

Dr. Ali Sayigh UK Citizen, Graduated from London University, & Imperial College, BSC.AWP, DIC, PhD, in 1966. He is Fellow of the Institute of Energy, and Fellow of the Institution of Engineering & Technology, Chartered Engineer, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Prof. Sayigh taught in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Reading University and University of Hertfordshire from 1966 – 2004. He was Head of Energy Department at Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) and Expert in renewable energy at AOPEC, Kuwait from 1981-1985.
He started working in solar energy in September 1969. In 1972, he established with some colleagues in Saudi Arabia “The Journal of Engineering Sciences” in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and in 1984 he established International Journal for Solar and Wind Technology, as an Editor-in-Chief. This has changed its name in 1990 to Journal of Renewable Energy. He is editor of several international journal published in Morocco, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Egypt, and India. He established WREN and the World Renewable Energy Congress in 1990. Member of various societies related to climate change and renewable energy.
He was consultants to many national and international organizations, among them, the British Council, ISESCO, UNESCO, UNDP, ESCWA, UNIDO and UN.  He run conferences and Seminars in 54 different countries, published more than 600 papers. He edited, written and associated in more than 100 books. He supervised more than 82 MSc. and 36 PhD students. He is editor-in- chief of the yearly Renewable Energy Magazine, 2000-2016. He is the founder of WREN and Renewable Energy Journal published by Elsevier & was the Editor-in-chief for 30 years from 1984 – 2014. 
He is the Editor-in-chief of Comprehensive Renewable Energy coordinating 154 top scientists, Engineers and researchers’ contribution in eight volumes published in 2012 by Elsevier which won 2013 PROSE award in USA. He is the founder of Med Green Buildings and Renewable Energy Forum since 2011. In 2016 he established peer review international open access journal called “Renewable Energy and Environmental Sustainability” – REES, which is published in English on - line by EDP publisher in Paris. Winner of the Best Clean Energy Implementation Support NPO – UK. In 2018 WREN was rated globally is one of the best Organization in the UK promoting renewable energy. In November 2018, Prof. Sayigh was elected fellow of the Royal Society of Art, (FRSA). Prof. Sayigh is working with Springer Nature in publishing books and proceedings since 2014 and up to now.
Dr. Antonella Trombadore Architect, PhD and Professor of Environmental Design at the University of Florence, since 1999 she works at the Department of Architecture exploring several aspects of Sustainable Architecture and different scale of application: from Responsive Design, Green Architecture for Resilient Cities, Innovative solutions for Deep Renovation of buildings, Architectural integration of Renewables to the innovative materials for Textile. She also teaches in several international universities such as UIR University international the Rabat and University of Tirana. From 2020 she is the director of Research Laboratory beXLab building environmental eXperience, stimulating interdisciplinary approach of Living Lab and participatory process for building retrofit and renovation, as well as human centered/adaptive architectural design, oriented to the green and digital transition (BIM - Digital Twin). Team leader of several European Research Projects in the field of energy retrofitting actions of cultural heritage, nearly zero buildings as well as of integrated smart process in Mediterranean climatic and cultural context. She collaborates with Local and Regional Administrations for the planning and design of national and international proposals, to support the definition of innovative measures and local development actions, in the field of material and immaterial data mapping for responsive tourism, conscious and sustainable use of fragile territories. Technical coordinator of International Post-Graduated Master Course SUARCH - Sustainable Architecture she is especially involved in the bioclimatic design in the different Mediterranean context, North Africa, Middle East, with a focus on Nature-based solutions for climate and environmental responsive design. She is member of international networks as PLEA and WREC, member of scientific committee of International conferences, workshops and seminars, as Med Green Forum; author of more than one hundred scientific contributions, papers and books.
Dr. Gisella Calcagno Architect, MSc, and PhD, expert in green and social architecture. She graduated from the University of Florence (Unifi), where she also obtained a postgraduate interuniversity master’s degree in bio-ecological architecture and innovative technologies for the environment (ABITA). She holds a PhD focused on the impact of architectural and urban quality on vulnerable populations, particularly asylum seekers. During her PhD, she completed a research period abroad at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, attended an advanced course at the Department of Political and Social Sciences, Unifi. She collaborated with the THESIS research center (Unifi), focusing on process innovation for post-earthquake housing emergencies.
Since 2020, she has been working at beXLab (building environmental eXperience laboratory, Unifi), a pilot Living Lab established as part of the Med-EcoSuRe project (Mediterranean University as Catalyst for Eco-Sustainable Renovation, ENI CBC MED - EU). Her work primarily focuses on the use of Digital Twins to support data-driven, integrated, and collaborative design processes in sustainable building and urban renovation projects. She participated in several international conferences and contributed to numerous publications. Involved in various ERASMUS+ projects (HANDS, COSMO), and is primarily responsible for DIGITAL DECATHLON on digitalization in architectural university training. Lecturer in traditional/innovative bioclimatic architecture and technologies at the School of Architecture (Unifi) and at the international Master SUArch (Sustainable Architecture - with International University of Rabat, Morocco). Contract professor in traditional/innovative textile fibers for the Textile and Fashion Design degree course (Unifi).

Summary

This book contains selected papers from the World Renewable Energy Congress and Network Forum's seventh edition of the biannual Med Green Forum (MGF2024) that highlight opportunities for energy transition based on the principles of efficiency, urban/building integration, and ecology. Contributions explore possible carbon-neutral solutions, technologies, strategies, processes, and policies for Mediterranean cities. The book addresses the transformation in the unique socio-climatic and cultural context of the Mediterranean basin, cities, and architecture, a transversal topic deeply related to social dynamics and new energy landscapes.

Product details

• Assisted by: Gisella Calcagno (Editor), Ali Sayigh (Editor), Antonella Trombadore (Editor)
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Release: 05.06.2025
• EAN: 9783031823220
• ISBN: 978-3-0-3182322-0
• No. of pages: 1223
• Illustrations: XX, 1223 p. 489 illus., 472 illus. in color.
• Series: Innovative Renewable Energy
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Technology > Heat, energy and power station engineering; Nachhaltigkeit, Umwelt, Ökologie, Biosphäre, Sustainability, energy transition, Renewable Energy, Green Architecture, Energy Policy, Economics and Management, Stadt- und Gemeindeplanung und -politik, Sustainable architecture, Energy Efficiency, Sustainable Architecture/Green Buildings, Urban Ecology, Green Technology, Net Zero Emissions, Energy and Society, Life Cycle Design, Urban Resilience and Climate Change, Eco and Recycled Materials, Carbon-Neutral Cities, Positive Energy Districts, Mediterranean Cities