BROWNFIELD AND REDEVELOPMENT OF URBANIZED AREAS: AN OPPORTUNITY TO HARNESS

The celebration of the 50^th World Environment Day will be held on June 5^th, this year under the theme “Only One Earth”. On the occasion of this anniversary, reflections on the importance of defending the environment through our behavior are normal. In this regard, Italy stands out, occupying the first places in Europe for recycling rate, for boosting the circular economy and for the development of renewable energies. However, the images of the floods in Emilia-Romagna are still fresh to rejoice at the important environmental results achieved by our country, if then becomes clear that we are forgetting one of the most important resources we have at disposal: the territory.

GSE Italia has long underlined that there is no “preferential route” that allows urban reconversion and recovery interventions in a more streamlined way than new buildings. In fact, the year 2022 recorded a national level of over 7,000 hectares dedicated to new buildings and, of these, 10% is located in Emilia-Romagna, a sign that there is an economic boost deriving from a strong need that could be combined more with the need for urban renewal and the safety of the territory. The data is not enough to explain the tragedy that has brought the region to its knees, but it still remains an interesting point from which to start promoting a change of scrap in the management of the Italian territory.

The contribution that the building industry can make to improve the health of the local territory depends not only on where we build, but also on how we build: from the use of low environmental impact materials to process innovation, which sees in “off site” building and in “dry” construction solutions an important horizon to facilitate the recycling/reuse of building materials. There are certainly many solutions that allow to build by improving the building fabric and the landscape, moving from a consumption logic to one of valorisation.