Energy efficiency as a protection tool

The relationship between renovation, system engineering and environmental physics is at present not as developed as the one between renovation and full accessibility needs, that is the elimination of architectural barriers, or better still between renovation and structural consolidation works. As a matter of fact, the latter, in the past forty years, has been subject to deep changes which resulted in a new scientific approach and new methods which are translated in wide spread practices that are by far more respectful than was the case in the mid twentieth century. This progress has meant that technical operations have undergone a real “historicization” to respond to a “critical” reason, more than to a technical one, in view of the issue at stake, renovation and cultural objects. It can be stated that these studies resulted in a less abstract, less mathematical approach, yet not less rational or scientific, to address the issue of ancient wall structures, which entailed a better and deeper insight into what they are like and what their function is, with an improved familiarity with these structures. This new approach allowed the development of innovative consolidation works able to preserve the well-rooted “historicity” of the structures, without prejudice to the safety requirements for the monuments and the people.