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Urban Regeneration Through Valuation Systems for Innovation pp 141–157Cite as

Investigating “Sustainable Neighbourhoods” in the Italian Context: A Diachronic Approach

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Part of the book series: Green Energy and Technology ((GREEN))

Abstract

The chapter investigates the evolution of the “sustainable neighbourhoods” paradigm in Italy, drawing on a selection of initiatives developed through time also as a consequence of the incremental consolidation of a European and national legislation on the matter. The case studies are analysed through a grid developed in the framework of the Erasmus + project LOTUS and properly adapted to the scope of this contribution. The authors identify two main patterns that have characterised the evolution of energy policies and sustainable urban planning practices in Italy in the last 30 years: (i) the shift from a sectoral approach that addresses the production of energy (“silos approach”) to the integration of different urban strategies and policies that look at changes in the processes of production, distribution and energy-saving in relation to urban planning transformations (“integrated approach”); (ii) the shift from the localisation of specific interventions concentrated within a defined municipality or urban area to the promotion of diffused actions fostering inter-municipal cooperation under a regime of co-ownership and co-management of energy services. The collected evidence constitutes a useful input for spatial governance and planning activities in the Italian context, supporting initiatives and projects that promote energy transitions towards the decarbonisation of cities.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    We are aware that the EU Environmental and Energy legislation extends much beyond the scope of the present article (i.e. through the EIA and SEA Directives, the Nature 2000 Framework, the Birds, Water Framework and Habitat Directives etc.). In this light, our overview is limited to directives and regulations that have had an explicit impact on the development of the sustainable neighbourhood paradigm [28].

  2. 2.

    The project LOTUS (https://lotus-transition.eu/) is funded by ERASMUS + Strategic Partnership for Higher Education, Call 2019 Round 1 KA2—Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices, contract number 870697. Project’s partners include Hochschule Fur Öffentliche Verwaltung Kehl (Germany), Logiville (France), Zapadoceska Univerzita V Plzni (Czech Republic), Politecnico di Torino (Italy), Rigas Tehniska Universitate (Latvia), Université Paris-Est Marne la Vallée (France).

  3. 3.

    https://ec.europa.eu/clima/eu-action/climate-strategies-targets/2020-climate-energy-package_en.

  4. 4.

    An English version is available at https://www.mise.gov.it/images/stories/documenti/it_final_necp_main_en.pdf.

  5. 5.

    An updated version of the document is available at: https://italiadomani.gov.it/it/home.html.

  6. 6.

    For a more detailed examination of the impaction that the COVID-19 pandemic may have on cities see: Cotella and Vitale Brovarone [12, 13].

  7. 7.

    https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/320169/reporting.

  8. 8.

    https://local-social-innovation.eu.

  9. 9.

    https://www.pattodeisindaci.eu/piani-e-azioni/buone-pratiche.html.

  10. 10.

    This phenomenon may be read as a typical example of economic conditionality, whereas the EU attach the delivery of its funding to a number of substantive and procedural conditions, and the domestic actors are required to conform to these conditions in order to access the available resources [8].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Interuniversity Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning (DIST), Politecnico di Torino, Viale Mattioli, 39, 10125, Turin, Italy

    Federica Rotondo, Francesca Abastante, Giancarlo Cotella & Isabella M. Lami

Authors
  1. Federica Rotondo
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  2. Francesca Abastante
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  3. Giancarlo Cotella
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  4. Isabella M. Lami
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Federica Rotondo .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. DIST, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy

    Francesca Abastante

  2. DIST, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy

    Marta Bottero

  3. University of Padova, Padua, Italy

    Chiara D’Alpaos

  4. PR.I.S.MA – Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, Turin, Italy

    Luisa Ingaramo

  5. Chief Editor of the Springer SIEV Series, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy

    Alessandra Oppio

  6. DIA, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy

    Paolo Rosato

  7. DIAM, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende, Italy

    Francesca Salvo

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Rotondo, F., Abastante, F., Cotella, G., Lami, I.M. (2022). Investigating “Sustainable Neighbourhoods” in the Italian Context: A Diachronic Approach. In: Abastante, F., et al. Urban Regeneration Through Valuation Systems for Innovation. Green Energy and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12814-1_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12814-1_9

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-12814-1

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