Manuela Grecchi

This book explores problems generated by the abandonment of mountain villages, which also represented strategic sites for guarding against environmental hazards, and proposes a process of regeneration and upgrade of the built environment, with a view to a circular economy and social and economic development. It provides principles, methods, and tools supporting the design and management of the regeneration of abandoned mountain/rural villages and presents the transferable results of multidisciplinary applied research involving several local contexts and compares methodological and technical design solutions developed in successful practices. The book consists of six chapters that address specific issues in the regeneration process of depopulated mountain villages.

This book reviews the building renovation process by systematizing the phases of analysis and prior knowledge through a project that not only considers energy savings but also thoroughly examines complex issues, such as defining the correct new functions and answers to new needs. The urgency of climate change and the many problems associated with the excessive use of energy are forcing a reorganization of the renovation process with an interest in reusing existing buildings with a more sustainable approach. The adaptive transformation of old buildings has become a dominant theme in many urban renewal projects. It must necessarily include strategies for energy efficiency, reduced pollutant emissions, improved environmental performance, economic sustainability and cultural identity. The examples selected are intended to provide evidence of good practices in the review and transformation of old buildings.