Ricerc@Sapienza

This research stay seeks to deepen and expand an interdisciplinary investigation into adaptive environmental design in Mediterranean urban contexts, addressing the urgent challenges posed by climate change, increasing urban density, and the demand for resilient, human-centred built environments. The project will explore how three interrelated parameters (variability, dynamism, and controllability) can be integrated into analytical tools, design guidelines, and teaching resources to enhance comfort, well-being, and sustainability at both building and urban scales.

Context and Motivation

Mediterranean cities such as Barcelona and Rome are facing a convergence of environmental pressures: rising temperatures, more frequent heat waves, and urban densification that intensifies the heat island effect. Traditional approaches to thermal comfort and energy efficiency often rely on static thresholds or uniform technological solutions, which may overlook the benefits of controlled environmental variability and user agency. Moreover, indoor comfort and urban microclimates are often studied in isolation; this research aims to bridge those scales, examining how building-level strategies (e.g., adaptive façades, user-operated controls) and urban interventions (e.g., climate refuges, vegetation layouts) can interact and reinforce one another. The project draws on complementary expertise in thermographic surveying, GIS-based spatial analysis, simulation tools (ENVI-met, EnergyPlus), machine learning for façade analysis, and participatory citizen science.

Objectives and Approach

1. Integrated Indicator Development: We will define, refine, and operationalize indicators of variability (i.e., the range of environmental conditions offered), dynamism (i.e., temporal changes and stimuli), and controllability (i.e., the degree of user agency in modifying conditions) in both buildings and urban realms. This includes literature synthesis on adaptive comfort theories (e.g., Nicol, Humphreys & Roaf 2012), natural ventilation and urban airflow (e.g., Ghiaus & Allard 2006), and recent advances in machine learning for façade analysis.
2. Comparative Typological Analysis: Through systematic comparison of residential and public-space typologies inBarcelona and Rome, we will identify common and distinctive features influencing adaptive potential. Field visits and workshops will select representative case studies, integrating local climatic data, historical urban morphology, and socio-cultural practices that affect occupant behaviour.
3. Data Collection and Co-Building of a Georeferenced Database: We will gather and harmonize data sources (Spanish and Italian cadastral information, open-data urban maps, street imagery for façade element detection, thermographic surveys, and citizen-reported comfort perceptions) to assemble a shared GIS-based repository. This database will be structured to allow overlay and cross-city analyses of adaptive parameters.
4. Simulation and Quantitative Assessment: Using EnergyPlus, we will simulate energy and comfort impacts of occupant-driven façade adjustments in residential case studies, calibrating models with field measurements. ENVI-met simulations will evaluate how urban design modifications (e.g., variable shading, vegetation configurations, permeability) influence microclimate, thermal comfort, and circulations of users seeking more favourable conditions. Comparative results across contexts will elucidate thresholds where variability and controllability reduce energy demand while enhancing perceived well-being.
5. Design Guidelines and Decision-Support Tools: Based on empirical and simulation findings, it is expected to draft evidence-based guidelines for adaptive interventions at building and urban scales. These guidelines will be organized in a matrix of parameters and recommended values, addressing stakeholders from municipal planners to architects and community groups. A prototype interactive GIS tool or online map may be developed to visualize hotspots where targeted interventions yield maximal benefits.

This research stay directly addresses pressing needs for climate resilience in Mediterranean cities by reframing comfort
and sustainability through the lens adaptive design. By embedding the concepts of variability, dynamism, and controllability in both building-scale and urban-scale analyses, the project advances theoretical understanding and delivers practical, transferable outcomes for professionals and policymakers. The creation of a shared georeferenced database and joint methodologies will support replication in other urban contexts and strengthen the competitiveness of both institutions in future European research calls. Societally, the findings are expected to inform local administrations in cities such as Barcelona and Rome, supporting interventions that reduce energy use, improve thermal comfort, and promote public well-being.