The theme of environmental and esthetic quality plays a primary role in the future of scholastic architecture, no longer a simple container of educational functions, but a symbol of the educational evolution in the society.

Quality architecture for school buildings is becoming more diffused around the world for series of reasons: because it has a positive impact on learning and wellbeing of the students and teachers, because the building is the location of education, it plays a primary role to form and model students behavior towards the environment, because the school symbolically represents a place of primary importance in the life of the community and deserves dignity.

It has become very important to apply all the elements needed to reach the optimal conditions under the aspect of shapes, colors, lighting, material, safety, health, comfort, energy savings and costs in the design phase by using a few bio-architectural principles:

THE HEALTHY BUILDING

In this context, we must look at the research on healthy buildings and indoor pollution. According to estimates from the United States, 30% of all buildings have problems with health. Pollution sources indoors are often the same as the sources outdoors both in concentration and absorption. It has been believed for a long time that the majority of the population spends 90% of their day indoors. Specifically regarding scholastic buildings, a survey showed that also Italian schools are at risk from radon, a principle indoor polluter. Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that is emitted from the ground and rocks used in building material like concrete, granite, tuff and bricks. Indoor chemical pollution is also caused by formaldehyde, contained in plywood, pressboard and foam insulating material, volatile organic composites like paint, flooring and synthetic coverings, microorganisms found in furniture, carpets and damp walls. There is also physical pollution caused by electric and electronic appliance, which are becoming more and more common in our daily lives, and pollution caused by incorrectly designed and maintained heating and air conditioning.

The potential level of pollution must be kept under control with knowledge of materials and building techniques. Attention must also be paid to the location chosen to build the building avoiding damp ground or areas with a high level of radon, orienting the building in relation to the sun, wind and external environment.

MATERIALS AND SYSTEMS

A healthy building should be constructed using natural materials with low pollution emissions as much as possible. It should be surrounded with breathable walls and should have good thermal insulation and a heating system that heats the surfaces and not the air. Alternative energy should be used for conservation and heat production. It should consume as little water as possible and reuse rainwater or other technologies to save. It should have external areas that are not covered with concrete or asphalt to allow water to seep back into the ground.

The systems should always be easily accessible read for inspections. This is why the distribution systems in the building should be designed well. It is advisable that the maintenance strategies be included in the design plans as required by Italian law.

Going to more specific instructions, we must remember that a reinforced cement structure is preferable to a reinforced brick structure constructed with blocks lightened blocks of concrete or blocks of brick with granules. This material, if used for external plugging, can avoid the use of polyurethane as an insulating layer.

An excellent material for long beams is layered wood lamelate, a natural material that resists weather, allows geometric daring and fire resistance.

Cork is also good for bio-architecture. It is elastic, resistant to physical and chemical stress, notable thermal and acoustic insulation. Cork is also a good screen for electromagnetic waves that come from metal structures. It breaths and permeable to steam. It can be plug into gaps, used for false ceilings, used as an insulating cushion under flooring, under roof tiles or against internal walls.

Another natural insulating material is wood wool. This material is a good acoustic insulator; it breathes and is water repellant. It helps to keep the internal temperature constant and can be recycled because it decomposes. Other ecological insulation includes clay foam, a natural, light, inflammable and resistant product. It can be used for foundations or under the roof and as a component for light concrete, paints and mortar.

The walls should be painted with natural water-based paints or natural resin-based paints. Linoleum is good for flooring, obviously without asbestos, and it adapts to raised floors, which are necessary for maximum flexibility.

The heating system must heat the internal walls and not the air. Therefore, it is advisable to use a floor or a floorboard heating system around the perimeter of the room. These systems function with low water temperature so there are additional energy savings.

Protective screens are already on the market to protect us from electromagnetic pollution. They are installed in the brickwork, walls or floors, and covered with plaster, tiles, carpet, etc. These screens are made with completely natural components and protect us from the electromagnetic waves produced from emissions and from the ground.

COLOR AND LIGHTING

Ecological buildings cannot be separated from environmental comfort also considered under the psychological aspect of colors. Numerous studies have been dedicated to the subject with particular reference to schools. Students need colors and varied shades, especially for the younger ones. For example, a nursery or elementary school should have warm and vivid colors that add to the tendency of children of that age to be extroverted.

Concentration is strengthened by soft or cool colors like beige, light green and aqua so they should be used in middle and high schools. In traditional classrooms, where the student's attention is focused towards the teacher and the blackboard, it is helpful to have different colored side walls in order that the color contrast relaxes the students' eyes.

The same attention should be paid to lighting. Natural light is one of the fundamental elements for a correct bio-climatic design. The quantity could depend on exposure and windows that should be adequate. Internal lighting should compensate for the lack of natural light to give uniform light in the whole classroom; artificial lighting should be used to compensate for lacks. For this reason, it is very important to install light sensors to monitor natural light and vary the artificial light. Computer Integrated Buildings already have these devices: sensors that monitor natural and regulate the amount on artificial light to be added, turn off the lights and lower the temperature when no one is present.

ECOLOGICAL REVISION OF THE EXPANSION DESIGN OF THE ELEMENARY SCHOOL IN CESATE (MI) ITALY is very interesting as an example of applied bio-architecture. More information is available in the International and Italian Architecture fact sheet. Also, see the photo button on the side.