The Course is balanced on two main aspects of wood technologies for buildings and architecture: Design and Construction from one side and Sustainability from the other.

Design and construction means to know the material, its strong and weak points and how different is the technology to use wood in construction.

Wood can largely improve environmental and social sustainability having two exceptional assets: is based on a renewable resource and is a biomass with a large potential of carbon storage.

Design, Construction and Sustainability of wood technologies are matching the general learning targets of the Master programme towards integrated design procedures, innovation and sustainability.

DdD1: knowledge and comprehension

Lectures and tutoring sessions will allow students to:

-know the most updated technologies for wood construction

-know innovative projects and architectures that combine these technologies

-learn design tools to tackle a small shelter project

-learn the basics of environmental and social sustainability

-learn the fundamentals of Life Cycle Assessment

DdD 2: ability to apply knowledge and comprehension

Students that successfully pass the exam:

- are able to schematically design a small shelter

- are able to apply the LCA methodology to assess the environmental sustainability of their project

A first introduction to wood as building material will be given to students in order to understand its peculiar aspects and drawbacks. Production Technologies and Wood industry will be shown in order to see the different products currently available and the most innovative trends.

The application of these technologies to specific and innovative projects, showing also the construction site aspects, will be analyzed.

Seminars and lecture by experts of the Wood industry sector will be offered to students.

Students will be divided in groups (2/3 people) and will have to design a small shelter for Emergency purposes or Temporary architecture or Micro architecture by using wood as construction material (structures but also envelopes)

An introduction to the fundamentals of the three-pillar theory of sustainability will serve to introduce to the Life Cycle Methodology. An historical background of the Life Cycle Analysis and Life Cycle Thinking will help to understand the evolution of the methodology. Then, the focus will be on the LCA regulations in the construction sector. Calculation methodology, databases and technical software will be illustrated and applied to practical wood construction cases.

A basic knowledge of building technologies and some ideas about structures and building physics is recommended.

Passion and imagination for a material like wood that is very old and very new at the same time.

As for the LCA and sustainability, no pre-requisites are required.

First step for evaluation will be, at the end of the course, the submission of a Report in A3 form with the Small Wood shelter design + an accurate technical description embodying also the sustainability issues and the LCA connected to what has been designed.

The mark to the project will be given to the group but then the final evaluation will be individual and based on an oral exam, which will be focused both on the project and also on the theory exposed during the course.

Intermediate reviews will be possible (on A4 reports).

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