The Mazzano SHE Project – Brescia, Italy

CONSEDI, Consorzio Bresciano per l’Edilizia Economico Popolare

Sustainable contents

- Active solar systems (photovoltaic and thermal)

- Strong thermal inertia masonry

- Acoustic insulation

- No toxic natural materials

- Reduction of electric and electromagnetic fields

- Centralized and radiant heating system with high efficiency boiler

- Reuse and recycle water systems

- Low consumption lighting system

Site description

The area of this lotting plan, located in the Municipality of Mazzano, is situated on the final Eastern part of Via San Zeno that connects the existing built area with the municipal aqueduct and the dairy farm San Zeno; the area’s actual surface is 13.855 m², the shape is rectangular and the orientation is north-east south-west.

The land is almost plane and at the same level as the entrance road. Nearby, the canal, Naviglio Grande, flows that takes in water from the river Chiese and has an important function for the irrigation of a great piedmont located between Garda Lake and Brescia.

Urban situation

The Municipality of Mazzano considers this area “expanding residential zone”, and therefore the following urban parameters must be applied:

- Maximum height: 10 m

- Covering rate: Max 40% of the section

- Territorial density rate: Max 1,00 mc/m2 on the section.

The site is included in the “limited areas of potential inundation” and it is therefore forbidden to build basements and underground rooms. Besides, the area is located in the zone of “respect of the well of the municipal aqueduct”. This fact influences the sewer systems’ executive modalities, but it does limit the building’s possibilities.

Within the P.L. approved by the Municipality of Mazzano, the building allotment is 8.515 m² and the remaining 5.340 m² shall be divided among:

- Parking: 591 m²

- Public green areas: 3.066 m²

- Roads: 1.325 m²

- Sidewalks: 458 m²

The project foresees the construction of 40 new dwellings that will cover a surface no bigger than 5.540 m².

Therefore the whole green space will have a minimum extension of 4.850 m², of which 3.066 m² will be assigned to public green areas and 1.800 to private green areas, exclusive or condominial.

Consedi is the cooperative in charge for the intervention. It has organized a multidisciplinary design team, composed by an architect studio, a structural engineer, a plant engineer, a geological studio and an agronomist. They have cooperated efficiently on several preliminaries to the project’s creation: i.e. studies of the wind direction, humidity, fog, an underground system for summer irrigation (using the river’s water), a centralized heating system for hot water by using solar panels, photovoltaic panels and water pumps to extract the water.

Project State of Advancement