Sustainable roof-top extension: a pilot project in Florence (Italy)

This paper presents some results achieved in the research project "SuRE-FIT: Sustainable Roof Extension Retrofit for High-Rise Social Housing in Europe" developed, from 2006 to 2008, by 16 partners from 9 European Countries within the Programme Intelligent Energy Europe (6th Framework Programme). Through an International survey of best practices, a deep knowledge exchange and a synthesis of case studies and pilot design projects, the SuREF-it project analysed the opportunities given by a profitable refurbishment of roof-tops, in particular to insulate the building, to enlarge the dwellings, to include innovative installations and to suggest for new common facilities. The paper is focused on a Pilot Project, based on the research concepts, developed by the two Italian partners: Ipostudio Architects and the Municipality of Florence. The project took the chance of the refurbishment of an existing social housing block to improve both the technical and energy performances considering the expectation of inhabitants in terms of safety, health and social benefits.