Sustainable technologies for diagnostic analysis and restoration techniques: the challenge of the Green Conservation

The European guidelines for the future of our society has set, as key objectives, to become a knowledge-based economy, capable to develop a high level of entrepreneurial ability, innovation and research. Within the cultural Heritage circle these three topics, deeply connected, are not sufficiently faced up in an integrated way. In the restoration sector, that in Italy involves a huge amount of historical buildings with incomparable artistic value, a heated debate over methodological issues is carried on, but solutions on the themes of social and economic sustainability of the conservation interventions are missing. These themes regard all Europe and interlace with the capacity of developing new solutions for improving energy efficiency of historic buildings through renovation, as well as adapting new and modern technologies to the requirements and special problems associated with historic buildings and energy efficiency. In the field of plants and energy saving, scientific and industrial research produce high performance solutions, that not always are able to guarantee the respect of the integrity and authenticity of monuments, as well as their sustainability, comfort and 'livability'. This paper will show the green conservation methodology, un approach aimed to develop guidelines and a design model for carrying out energy efficient renovation measures in historic buildings with regard to compatibility, sustainability and quality of life improvements. The analyzing strategy is demonstrated by using as case study the castle of Zena, near Piacenza, Italy.