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The Achievement of Sustainability in the Built Environment

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Abstract

The built environment presents particular challenges in relation to the achievement of sustainability, not least because of the number of building types and the uses to which they are put. Design issues thus include ensuring that buildings are energy efficient with effective ventilation in relation to use while enabling the maximum utilization of shared spaces and flexibility of use. In this context, many of the underlying technologies, as for instance those involved in energy management and use, are mechatronic in nature while developments such as Building Digital Twins are supporting real-time responses to changing conditions. The chapter examines the background to these issues and places them into the context of the developing approach to building construction, operation and management. In doing so, it draws on as an exemplar the award winning, including at COP26, design and development of the Antonio Brancati School in Pesaro in Italy to illustrate how innovative approaches to design and the use of technology have enabled the creation not only of a place of learning, but also a shared resource for the local community.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    It should be noted that this community engagement process is not usual in Italy or in this municipality, so a great effort was made to involve people who are not usually involved at any level.

  2. 2.

    Water to the condenser at 30–35 °C and external air at 7 °C b.s., or 6 °C b.u.

  3. 3.

    Water to the evaporator at 12–7 °C and external air at 35 °C.

  4. 4.

    The winter design temperature for Pesaro is −2 °C.

  5. 5.

    KNX comes from Konnex, an open standard (EN 50,090, ISO/IEC 14,543) for commercial and building automation.

  6. 6.

    Defined by brand and type.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Bradford, Bradford, UK

    Crina Oltean-Dumbrava

  2. Comune Pesaro Municipality, Italy

    Margherita Finamore

Authors
  1. Crina Oltean-Dumbrava
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  2. Margherita Finamore
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Correspondence to Crina Oltean-Dumbrava .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Wels, Austria

    Peter Hehenberger

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, The American University in Cairo, New Cairo, Egypt

    Maki Habib

  3. Abertay University, Dundee, UK

    David Bradley

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Oltean-Dumbrava, C., Finamore, M. (2022). The Achievement of Sustainability in the Built Environment. In: Hehenberger, P., Habib, M., Bradley, D. (eds) EcoMechatronics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07555-1_12

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