Daniele Vettorato

Eurac Research · Institute for Renewable Energy

This open access book includes a selection of innovative contributions presented at the 4th international conference “Smart and Sustainable Planning for Cities and Regions 2022”, held in Bolzano, Italy in July 2022. Featuring 10 papers by academics and consultants, strongly rooted in practical experiences and international projects, it discusses cu...

This paper presents the results of the analysis conducted on six case studies related to solar energy integration in urban and rural environments located on the Italian territory. The analysis has been carried out within the Subtask C-Case Studies and Action Research of the International Energy Agency Solar Heating and Cooling Program Task 51 "Sola...

In the current scenario of massive urbanization and global climate change, the urban surfaces and their characteristics have a key role, as they significantly influence the quality of life in urban areas, as well as their environmental conditions. To shed light on the role of urban surfaces in fostering climate resilient and sustainable cities, thi...

This open access book offers a selection of research papers and case studies presented at the 3rd international conference “Smart and Sustainable Planning for Cities and Regions”, held in December 2019 in Bolzano, Italy, and explores the concept of smart and sustainable planning, including top contributions from academics, policy makers, consultant...

This book offers a selection of research papers and case studies presented at the 3rd international conference “Smart and Sustainable Planning for Cities and Regions”, held in December 2019 in Bolzano, Italy, and explores the concept of smart and sustainable planning, including top contributions from academics, policy makers, consultants and other...

In the current scenario of massive urbanization and global climate change, the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development identifies among the main goals the necessity to make cities sustainable and resilient. The urban surfaces (i.e. streets, façades, roofs, etc.) are a key element in this process. Indeed, their exploitation offers th...

Nell'attuale scenario di urbanizzazione e crescita della popolazione urbana, numerose strategie di mitigazione e adattamento stanno venendo sviluppate al fine di affrontare le problematiche ambientali e gli effetti dei cambiamenti climatici (i.e. produzione di energia da fonti rinnovabili, agricoltura urbana, regolazione microclimatica etc.). Tali...

The paper presents a spatially explicit and “bottom-up” methodology for the building stock analysis of the residential sector. It integrates different input data in a Geographical Information System (GIS), without using the “archetypes approach” and simulation tools. In particular, the energy balance at the building level (BL) for the whole Valle d...

The European Union is in the process of updating its energy policy and legislative framework under the motto "Clean Energy for All Europeans". This will facilitate the low carbon energy transition, make it fit for the 21st century, and delivering the EU's Paris Agreement commitments. Besides expected climate-energy benefits, the EU narrative is int...

Low carbon city (LCC) has emerged as the latest sustainable urbanism strategy in China as a response to climate change impacts. Yet, minimal scholarships have explored the sustainability of the urban planning model towards understanding the complexity of the components. Using a two-step triangulation approach, this paper presents a structured overv...

This paper proposes a method to support the sustainable development of existing cities through the optimization of the usage of their urban surfaces (i.e. roofs, facades, streets, public spaces, etc.). Adaptation and mitigation strategies aimed at improving resiliency and sustainability of urban areas are highly related to the utilization of these...

Nowadays energy transition is a recurring topic, which describes the process of an energy system moving from fossil-based sources towards renewables. The transition can unfold at different levels, from the single initiative of a local community to a complex cross-border agreement. The latter type is well represented by EUSALP, the European macro-re...

Several mitigation and adaptation strategies are proposed to tackle the environmental issues associated to massive urbanization and climate change. All these solutions are highly related to the utilization of urban surfaces (i.e. building envelopes, streets, public spaces, etc.). However, the existing trends demonstrate the lack of a systemic appro...

In the current scenario of massive urbanization and global climate change, the urban surfaces and their characteristics have a key role in pursuing resiliency and sustainability objectives at the city scale. This paper discusses the potential uses of urban surfaces and proposes a systemic approach aimed at their optimization. The methodology, which...

This study presents a holistic approach applied to assess the exploitation of renewable energy sources for design interventions in the early design phases in a consolidated urban environment. Concerning the cooling season, the approach implies set of environmental analyses focused on twofold assessments: (i) the use of renewable energy sources for...

Globally, cities are experiencing an unprecedented socio-economic, demographic, and environmental transition that brings with it negative environmental externalities, such as climate change and environmental degradation. Smart energy city (SEC) has emerged as the latest urban development strategy in European countries. It can vastly accelerate citi...

Territorial energy system are urged to define energy transition strategies. Energy transition poses several challenges, and needs coordinated actions and deep understanding of actual conditions. An example of cross-border agreement is the European macro-regional strategy for the Alpine region, aiming to become a model region for energy efficiency a...

Optimized energy systems are achieved by an increase in energy efficiency in parallel with energy savings. SINFONIA is an FP7 European-funded project that aims to implement smart initiatives for optimized energy systems through deep-energy retrofit of social housing buildings in middle-size European cities (i.e., Bolzano, Italy). From a technical v...

This book comprises a selection of the top contributions presented at the second international conference “Smart and Sustainable Planning for Cities and Regions 2017”, held in March 2017 in Bolzano, Italy. Featuring forty-six papers by policy-makers, academics and consultants, it discusses current groundbreaking research in smart and sustainable pl...

Local population actions determine the level of renewability of local energy systems in the context of energy transition goals. Local population makes energy choices based on the availability of different territorial resources and limits, i.e. natural or environmental, technological, and social ones. The aim of this research is to identify the main...

EUSALP Energy Survey 2017 Annex 1 presents the local energy balances of the 50 EUSALP territories and the one of Switzerland. They show:  General data  Energy data  Energy balance and share of RES  RES mix and potentials

The macro-regional Strategy for the Alpine region (EUSALP) was launched by the European Union in 2015, as “an integrated framework to address common challenges faced by a defined geographical area”. This area includes and surrounds the Alps, embracing five European member states plus Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It covers more than 440.000 km2 (n...

The ecosystem services (ESs) concept is particularly helpful when dealing with the relationship that links human and natural environment systems. It refers, in fact, to the entire sphere of benefits (goods and services) that human societies obtain, directly or indirectly, from ecosystems functions, and shows how deeply human well-being depends on h...

Successful implementation of smart energy city projects in Europe is crucial for a sustainable transition of urban energy systems and the improvement of the quality of life for citizens. We aim to develop a systematic classification and analysis of the barriers hindering successful implementation of smart energy city projects. Through an empirical...

The smart energy city is an emerging concept in urban development, aiming to optimize urban energy systems and improve the quality of life for citizens. However, smart energy city development requires a well-defined and consistent conceptual core in order to ensure its accurate interpretation and successful implementation. This research aims to def...

The aim of the paper is to develop a method to assess the effect of forest biomass use for energy on ecosystem services (ES). Such method has been in the GRASS GIS environment, by creating an Decision Support System (DSS) called r.green.biomassfor. The method has been tested in the Triglav National Park in Slovenia. The potential forest biomass was...

Implementation of smart and sustainable energy projects in urban areas encounters different barriers. These barriers range from common financial shortage to specific constraints, which depend on local socioeconomic , environmental and political characteristics of each city. In spite of various experiences of European cities in smart and sustainable...

This book presents cutting-edge work on innovative planning methodologies, tools and experiences aimed at supporting the transition of our cities and regions towards a more smart and sustainable dimension. This book comprises a selection of the best papers presented at the international conference “Smart and Sustainable Planning for Cities and Regi...

This book presents cutting-edge work on innovative planning methodologies, tools and experiences aimed at supporting the transition of our cities and regions towards a more smart and sustainable dimension. This book comprises a selection of the best papers presented at the international conference "Smart and Sustainable Planning for Cities and Regi...

Currently, within each urban-regeneration project, an ambitious improvement in the energy performance of existing buildings is foreseen. Consequently, refurbishing the building stock should be approached as a piece of a wider, complex project. This means no longer treating it as a mere technical problem, to be solved simply by upgrading energy syst...

In the Alpine environment, Man has always been directly dependent on mountain ecosystems. Social mechanisms have created specific models of governance, capable of assuring the persistence of ecosystems and their capacity to provide essential goods and services. In recent decades, however, dramatic changes have occurred, such as climate change and c...

The paper introduces and discusses an open-source spatial-based model (called r.green.solar) able to quantify the energy production from solar photovoltaic (PV) ground-mounted panels. Socio-economic and environmental impacts can be evaluated by the model. The model starts from the theoretical quantity of solar PV potential energy and estimates a re...

Background and Purpose: In the EU political agenda, the use of forest biomass for energy has grown rapidly and significantly, in order to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions and reduce the energy dependence on fossil fuels of European member countries. The target of the EU climate and energy package is to raise the share of renewable energy consumpti...

The paper presents a method for identifying and classifying local stakeholders involved in renewable energy development. The method is based on the expert assessment and comprises three main steps: (1) identification of the independent experts considering their expertise and knowledge of the local context; (2) identification of the local stakeholde...

Poster developed within the EU funded project LOCSEE (Low Carbon South East Europe), presented ad ECOMONDO 2014 international fair. www.locsee.eu

The Alps, with their long cultural history and unique geographic and geological particularities, are a biodiversity hotspot. This extraordinary biodiversity,and the ecosystem services resulting from it, is being threatened by various anthropogenic pressures, including climate change. Climate change mitigation measures such as the increased use of r...

In the so far partially explored world of “Smart City Projects”, energy focused projects are numerous due to the intrinsic peculiarity of urban areas as energy sinks, as well as wealth sources. Energy consumption and urban renewal are strictly interconnected; thus, European Union is investing in Smart and Sustainable Energy District Projects to enc...

One of the aim of the European directive 2009/28/EC is the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources in order to decrease the fossil fuel dependency. In the Alpine region the application of this directive is particularly relevant because of the complex morphology of the territory with a high renewable energy potential due to the presenc...

Implementation of smart and sustainable energy projects in urban areas encounters different barriers. These barriers range from common financial shortage to specific constraints, which depend on local socio-economic, environmental and political characteristics of each city. In spite of various experiences of European cities in smart and sustainable...

The spatially explicit Decision Support System (DSS) r.green, developed in the frame of the Alpine Space program recharge.green financed by EU, is able to identify the areas suitable for the installation of the main renewable energy systems based on criteria of sustainability and land conservation. The DSS is composed by a set of GRASS GIS modules...

In the last decades in Europe, the importance of renewable energy is increasing since it could help to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions and to reduce the fossil fuel dependence of European Member States (Directive 2009/28/EC). In the European Alpine region, the main renewable source of energy is hydropower. On the other hand, one of the priorities...

The paper describes a method to estimate the solar power contribution to the resilience of a city to the peak oil. The method based on GIS, remote sensing and spreadsheets. The results are discussed in the framework of the current international debate on the integration of renewable energy in cities.

In energy planning, there is an increasing request to produce future scenarios to guide decision making. Park managers in alpine areas must deal with the growing demand of forest biomass to produce bioenergy. It is difficult to quantify the real biomass availability respecting technical economical and environmental constraints. During the project r...

Le questioni climatiche ed energetiche sono di assoluta attualità e tra loro strettamente correlate. Tanto a livello locale, quanto nazionale ed europeo, i policy makers sono chiamati a definire ed attuare strategie intersettoriali, che considerino le specificità sociali, ambientali ed economiche locali all’interno di obiettivi globali condivisi. L...

Recently, the local government of South Tyrol, a province in the alpine area in the north of Italy, has defined the guidelines for an energy and climate package with targets for 2050 where it is stated that

The main objective of the LOCSEE project is to strengthen the capacity and knowledge of public authorities and other institutions dealing with the climate change in the SEE countries and to develop a systematic cross-sectoral approach to develop and improve low carbon policies which will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions towar...

“Smart city” is a concept that has been the subject of increasing attention in urban planning and governance during recent years. The first step to create Smart Cities is to understand its concept. However, a brief review of literature shows that the concept of Smart City is the subject of controversy. Thus, the main purpose of this paper is to pro...

Anthropogenic climate change threatens the global environment, including biodiversity, and with it continued human welfare. TheEuropean Union aims to increase its share of renewable energy (RE) to 20% by 2020 in an effort to reduce greenhause gas emissionswhile enhancing energy security and providing opportunities for economic development. The Alpi...

Il Plano de uso da terra è uno strumento urbanistico introdotto di recente in Mozambico per consentire ai Distretti in cui è suddiviso amministrativamente il paese di darsi un assetto di territorio coerente con le proprie strategie di sviluppo. La redazione di questi piani si scontra in primo luogo con l’assenza di informazioni cartografiche con ri...

Anthropogenic climate change threatens the global environment, including biodiversity, and with it continued human welfare. TheEuropean Union aims to increase its share of renewable energy (RE) to 20% by 2020 in an effort to reduce greenhause gas emissionswhile enhancing energy security and providing opportunities for economic development. The Alpi...

It is a common idea that the reduction of the dependence from outside systems energy sources is of crucial importance to improve the city’s resilience to peak oil. Limited resources, geopolitical issues, security and transportation costs related to fuel provisioning (mainly oil and nuclear) heavily affect local economies and welfare. In this contex...

The Urban Heat Islands (UHi) affect the quality of life and energy consumption in urban settlements. Urban morphology has an important role in shaping of UHi but the knowledge of the specific relationships and impacts of morphology elements on this phenomenon is still unclear. The paper present a method based on technical aspects of data assembly,...

Cities are responsible for a large part of primary energy demand and emissions worldwide. Hence, the use of renewable energy sources (RES) is becoming a key issue in the international debate on the sustainability of urban development models. Most of the literature addresses this issue by focusing on metropolitan areas, disregarding analyses that ca...

The Urban Heat Islands (UHI) affect the quality of life and energy consumption in urban settlements. Urban morphology has an important role in shaping of UHI but the knowledge of the specific relationships and impacts of morphology elements on this phenomenon is still unclear. The paper present a method based on technical aspects of data assembly,...

It is generally accepted that urban sprawl creates problems around energy use. It is true that the spread of single-family dwellings increases heat dispersion because of the bigger exterior surface of buildings. Moreover, families living far from city centres are reliant on their cars. Many urban planners are therefore calling for a stop to urban s...

This dissertation examines the concept of sustainable energy within a urban design context. In essence, the research aims to answer the question: “what role does the city’s built environment morphology play, if any, in the sustainability of its energy system?”. To answer this question, I first derive an operational definition of sustainable energy...