Historic buildings in Mediterranean area and solar thermal technologies: architectural integration vs preservation criteria

Architectural integration of plants in historic buildings has always been a much debated topic. Nowadays it is enriched with an ethical connotation linked to sustainability/environmental responsibility (reduction of energy consumption, using renewable energy sources, reduction of CO2 emission, etc.). This paper deals with the theme of integration of solar technologies in buildings and focuses on difficult and problematic relationship between the physical conformation of the plant and the cultural values of the building itself (especially on the cultural value of the image of built heritage). It wants to highlight how the satisfaction of requirements linked to the protection of these buildings, cultural resources of every city and nation, could constitute as an promoter of technological innovation. After making an investigation on major existing products on the solar technology, through a case study of residential historical building, we present the preservation criteria and guidelines that laying down principles for the validation of each existing technology on the market. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.