After the opening conferences scheduled on 15 November with a focus on market trends and regulations, on 16 November GEE will discuss accessibility and architectural barriers, with two events divided between morning and afternoon.
The morning meeting, which was organised in collaboration with ANACAM, will see the participation of several authoritative figures from the Italian technical-scientific field, such as Prof. Eng. Alessandro Greco, Professor of Technical Architecture at the Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia.
Prof. Greco gave us some insights on the approach to accessibility in the design phase: “The issue of designing inclusive environments is increasingly central, as it is also recalled by Goal 11 of the Agenda for Sustainable Development. The point is to approach the design of urban spaces and buildings with a new focus compared to the past, aimed at creating environments that can be experienced according to one's abilities and capacities, where everyone can move around and carry out their activities independently and safely. Designers are called upon not only to verify compliance with current regulations in terms of overcoming (or eliminating) architectural and sensory barriers, but also to equip buildings and urban spaces with aids and solutions in order to facilitate movement and adapt to the different abilities of users”.
Morning activities will close with a discussion on the main cutting-edge lift projects developed at engineering and architectural level on the international scene. The panel discussion 'THE GLOBAL ELEVATOR: Comparing experiences from around the world' will be attended by professionals from the field of construction, such as Tak Mathews, Principal Consultant of TAK Consulting.
The afternoon of 16 November will be dedicated to a reflection on the opportunities related to the PNRR (National Resilience Plan) and the new incentives for energy efficiency and overcoming barriers. This event will present the possibilities and new bonuses dedicated to all activities aimed at modernising facilities, both in terms of safety and accessibility, and in terms of reducing energy consumption through digitalization. Among others, Giuseppe Iotti, member of the Technical Commission of ANACAM, an expert in the field of lift engineering efficiency, will speak to provide up-to-date insights and references in this regard.
As explained by Iotti, “In Italy there are more than one million active lifts, including lifting platforms. Of these, about 85% are lifts from residential buildings with very low to medium traffic intensity. These lifts account for a range between 2% and 3% of the total consumption of the buildings in which they are housed, and they consume most of their energy in a stationary/standby state, that is, while the cabin or the doors are not moving. Actions to decrease consumption and increase energy efficiency should therefore be aimed at improving non-operational performance. With respect to the smaller percentage of high-traffic lifts, which have a significant consumption when they are in operation, the efficiency should be improved in this phase.”
The last meeting of the day will take stock of the new technologies to design more inclusive, safe, digital and sustainable 4.0 buildings. What are the solutions and future scenarios in the field of integrated sensors and digitalization? These strategic ideas will be discussed by leading figures from the Italian university scene, including Elena Giacomello, PhD Architect, Iuav University of Venice, Raffaella Lione, Full Professor at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Messina, and Marco Cogliati, Lifts & Vertical Solutions Consultant, EFESME.
