Energy retrofit for Rome municipality’s residential real estate. Ater a case study: the Vigne nuove complex

Many large residential building complexes of Rome’s ATER were built between 1970 and 1980 in accordance with Italian Law 167/1962. These complexes were not designed and built with energy standards complying with today’s regulations (many were built before Law 373/1977, which included the first regulations for the construction of high energy efficient buildings, later replaced by Italian law 10/1991). These complexes, despite being examples of the best architectural practices of those years, were constructed making use of prefabricated and/or industrialized building systems which resulted in a lack of building flexibility and adaptability, something that is now recognized as a culturally important requirement for those living in these contexts. The Vigne Nuove complex is an important example of 1970s design carried out by a group of highly qualified architects/engineers (building section: F.L. Passarelli; structures section: Feroldi V. De Rosa, E.F. Radogna, Samuelli A. Ferretti; plant section: B. Conti, M. Indiati), who constructed a suburb of residences and numerous services, as required by the City of Rome, creating a small city within a city. This complex, used by families seeking better and more comfortable living conditions, is now marked by a state of widespread degradation, neglect of services areas, a proliferation of additional illegal structures (verandas, enclosed balconies, closed in parking spaces), and the occupation of the public spaces by homeless people. Complexes such as this, which still off er a great potential, can be recovered through energy retrofits and adapting housing and common areas to new living needs. The detailed analysis made through gathering previous project designs and a survey of the status quo has led to identifying a total lack of any energy principals and a shortage in infrastructures as a critical point of the complex while, at the same time showing that it can provide some important structural and architectural opportunities.