Articles — ReArq

Onecha, B; Herrador, E; Castillo, R; Bosch, M.
Reaching Near-Zero Environmental Impact in Heritage Buildings: The Case of the Wine Cellar of Rocafort de Queralt.
Sustainability (Basel)", 13 Gener 2025, vol. 17, núm. 2, article 577.
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In the current context of a necessary reduction in environmental impact, the reuse of heritage buildings is key. Although architectural rehabilitation already significantly reduces this impact, thermal comfort facilities present several challenges, both due to the huge visual impact they entail, compromising buildings’ historical values, as well as the environmental impact due to machines and ducts and the operating energy consumption. This paper demonstrates, through the case study of the Rocafort de QueraltWine Cellar, that it is possible to reduce to nearly zero the thermal comfort facilities of converted heritage buildings for public cultural use. This historic building, considered one of the “Wine Cathedrals” in Spain, was built in 1918 and is characterized by its architectural style typical of Catalan modernism. The method applied was in situ monitoring, combined with dynamic simulation with DesignBuilder v7 software and NECADA software v2024, considering four different scenarios of the building: the current state; after passive improvements; after architectural rehabilitation; and subject to the climatic conditions expected for 2050 according to IPCC AR4 A2. The conclusions are surprising. In Scenario 2, 87% thermal comfort is reached with zero facilities, and 100% thermal comfort is reached when the location of cultural activities within the building is changed according to geographical orientation and the season of the year.

Garcia-Almirall, P.; Cornadó, C.; Vima-Grau, S.
Residential Vulnerability of Barcelona: Methodology Integrating Multi-Criteria Evaluation Systems and Geographic Information Systems.
Sustainability, diciembre 2021, 13(24), 13659.
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This article presents the methodology and results of a pioneering investigation in the determination and mapping of socio-residential vulnerability in the city of Barcelona according to a multi-criteria synthetic analysis. The methodology followed is based on a system of indicators elaborated from the exploitation of habitual statistical Open Data complemented with specific unprecedented data elaborated and supplied by the Barcelona City Council. The analysis is based on secondary data and it is structured in georeferenced axes, components, and indicators, which allow determination of the sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and urban and residential space characteristics at neighborhood, population census unit, and urban block level. The objective of the research was to detect, determine, and establish a measure of differentiation relative to the degree of residential vulnerability of some neighborhoods with respect to others, in order to seek prioritization measures for action in the most vulnerable areas. The results of the research provide a series of maps that allow us to define the areas where the highest levels of vulnerability indicators coincide according to a synthetic multi-criteria analysis.

Onecha, B.; Dotor, A.; Marmolejo, C.
Beyond cultural and historic values, sustainability as a new kind of value for historic buildings.
"Sustainability", 22 Juliol 2021, vol. 13, núm. 8248, p. 1-18.
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In attempts to improve the energy efficiency of protected historical buildings, two barriers arise. The first is the restrictions imposed by authorities that are responsible for cultural heritage preservation. The second is the exclusion of protected buildings from strict compliance with energy efficiency requirements in current regulations, such as the issue of an Energy Performance Certificate, which removes them from conventional channels of public policies. Both of these issues put heritage in a delicate situation, especially when they are intended for privately developed residential uses. This paper presents a methodology for assessing and establishing a trade-off between energy performance and the cultural value of heritage buildings through the comprehensive analysis of a case study: the retrofitting of Can Armengol Palace in Palma de Mallorca (Spain). The study revealed (1) the need to objectify the cultural values of the building as far as possible to identify conflicts with the strategies of energy efficiency improvement; and (2) the appropriateness of considering every aspect of a rehabilitation intervention in a global simultaneous approach, not just energy aspects. The method that was used had five steps: acquiring a deep knowledge of the building configuration, assessing the building performance for every legal requirement, identifying cultural values, defining intervention criteria, and analyzing intervention effects on the protected elements of the building. The most important contribution in this study is the detailed and extended definition of architectural heritage values and the consideration of interventions resulting from sustainability retrofits as a new kind of value, that reflects current worries, for which future generations will remember us.

Marmolejo, C.; Onecha, B.
The spatial uneven difussion of energy-efficiency transparency policy. An analysis of the multi-family market in Barcelona.
"Energy policy", 17 Juliol 2021, núm. 156.
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In order to foster energy-informed real estate decisions, the EU has universalised the energy performance certificates to be displayed on advertising for sale and rental. However, in Spain, such certificates are absent in a disturbing proportion of cases. This paper investigates the prevalence of this problem, its spatial patterns, and the concomitant architectonic and locative attributes. In doing so, data from 49,000 apartments listed for leasing and renting in Metropolitan Barcelona are analysed using conventional and spatial econometric methods. The results suggest that the probability that a listing includes the energy rating of the dwelling largely depends on other neighbouring listings. Furthermore, the information opacity exists for the worst dwellings, which are expected to be the most inefficient, located in areas inhabited by low-income population. That is, the population that could benefit the most from this policy is, precisely, the most uninformed.

Cornadó, C.; Garcia-Almirall, P.; Casals, J.; Caballero, A.
La cuestión de la infravivienda, un estudio de caso en la ciudad de Barcelona.
Arquitecno, núm. 17, pàgs. 13-22, junio 2021.
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El concepto de infravivienda puede variar notablemente dependiendo del contexto urbano y social de cada lugar, éste se suele referir a aquel tipo de edificación y/o vivienda cuyos niveles de habitabilidad se encuentran por debajo de unos estándares mínimos establecidos, generalmente, en textos normativos. Su aparición a menudo va asociada a procesos de urbanización irregulares y al uso de vivienda de espacios no concebidos para ello, relacionándose, a menudo con situaciones de vulnerabilidad socioresidencial. El caso que aquí se presenta se centra en el barrio del Carmel en Barcelona, caracterizado por un crecimiento urbano en pendiente y la sospecha de la existencia situaciones de infravivienda. Se plantean como objetivos profundizar en el conocimiento de las condiciones de habitabilidad y estado de conservación de las viviendas del barrio para realizar un diagnóstico global de él. Para ello se diseña y emplea una metodología de estudio basada en una combinación de explotación de datos a partir de indicadores y campañas in situ. Los resultados permiten la detección de situaciones de infravivienda, la caracterización de las principales situaciones que la provocan y la categorización y priorización en la necesidad de actuación e intervención por parte de programas públicos de ayuda a la rehabilitación.

Vima, S.; Cornadó, C.; Ravetllat, P.; Garcia-Almirall, P.
Multiscale integral assessment of habitability in the case of El Raval in Barcelona.
Sustainability, abril 2021, 13(9), 4598.
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The understanding of habitability conditions of existing housing stock plays a central role in the quantification and qualification of sustainability from the architectural field. This research assessed habitability as a fundamental social benefit by means of a multiscale approach to the case study of the Raval neighborhood that can be replicated in other settings. We described a sample of six hundred dwellings located in two urban blocks spatially and typologically. This analysis of architectural features incorporated information on the current occupancy and use of spaces and the assessment of the state of conservation and maintenance of building envelopes and common elements. Although the scale of most analyzed aspects was larger (building, urban block or urban fabric), the discussion of results by housing unit provided a close picture of the existing diversity and heterogeneity of socio-spatial and architectural realities within buildings and urban blocks. Results from this paper allow for the valuation and discussion of substandard housing cases that call for an immediate improvement and adaptation, while providing evidence that most dwellings fail to fulfill residents’ right to adequate housing. In conclusion, the results obtained highlight the importance of designing rehabilitation programs and instruments to improve existing spaces with a focus on current use, occupancy, and residents’ needs

Uzqueda, A.; Garcia-Almirall, P.; Cornadó, C.; Vima Grau, S.
Critical review of public policies for rehabilitation of housing stock: the case of Barcelona.
Buildings, febrero 2021, 11(3), 108.
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This article reviews rehabilitation programs in Barcelona, focusing on aspects such as the intervention model, actual public investment, and results. Programs of this type are not exclusive to Barcelona; however, similar examples can be found in other European cities, especially where European Union (EU) funding is present. After analyzing these models, we reached a series of general conclusions that may be of interest. Thus, an eminently practical and reflective analysis is presented, aimed at technicians and those responsible for the design of intervention policies in urban regeneration. Rehabilitation programs are increasingly focused on vulnerable settings, and in this context, the participation and service function of public administrations are particularly relevant. The general model for rehabilitation subsidies rarely takes into account the specific characteristics of disadvantaged urban settings, as the article will show. After analyzing the different policies presented in this research, we identified two essential requirements: detailed knowledge of the affected neighborhood, and ongoing evaluation of the development of programs—beyond simple management indicators—so negative effects can be corrected in time such as gentrification, real estate speculation, and other by-products that the intervention itself can promote. This study confirms that not all public investments have the expected results.

Perez, B. & Dotor, Alicia.
Simulation Method to Assess Thermal Comfort in Historical Buildings with High-Volume Interior Spaces—The Case of the Gothic Basilica of Sta. Maria Del Mar in Barcelona. Sustainability.
13. 2980. 10.3390/su13052980. 2021
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Concerns about the energy performance of heritage buildings have grown exponentially over the last decade. However, actions have been limited to reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions. Another perspective must be studied—the thermal comfort of users, for human welfare and health. The assessment of thermal comfort inside a historic building with a single, large volume interior space is not easy. The complexity increases if the building has high cultural protection and its envelope cannot be altered, to preserve its historical values. This paper focuses on this kind of building and describes a dynamic simulation method used to assess thermal comfort in the Gothic Basilica of Sta. Maria del Mar in Barcelona. The basilica’s interior thermal conditions are intense cold during the winter and extreme heat and sultriness during the summer. Several simulation scenarios were considered to highlight the failure to obtain thermal comfort for users through passive strategies during the summer period. When all the factors are considered, the only valid strategy is to introduce an active system. This must be minimized according to three criteria: reducing operational periods, considering just the air volume next to users and adjusting the level of comfort requirement.

López, David & Bernat, Ernest & Gil, Lluis & Roca, Pere. (2021).
Experimental testing of a composite structural system using tile vaults as integrated formwork for reinforced concrete.
Construction and Building Materials. 300. 123974. 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.123974.
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Tile vaults are unreinforced masonry structures made of thin bricks (tiles) and fast-setting mortar that can be constructed without the need of a formwork, except at the boundaries, making them inherently economic. Their slenderness and finishing make them also efficient and expressive. These qualities of tile vaulting can be enhanced by combining it with reinforced concrete creating a new composite system. The tile vault can be integrated in the final solution, as a permanent formwork, reducing construction costs and waste. A top layer of reinforced concrete rises up the strength of the composite system, whereas reinforcement reduces the thickness and opens the possibility to build structures with a formal language well beyond what is typically associated with masonry architecture. Therefore, several advantages make the system competitive compared to traditional reinforced concrete shells. This paper presents experimental research on the materials of this composite system and load tests on composite barrel vaults. The construction of full-scale prototypes has allowed a critical review of the construction process and has demonstrated the feasibility of the technique and its successful structural performance. Moreover, the analysis of this composite structures is carried out using Extended Limit Analysis of Reinforced Masonry (ELARM), provided that the reinforcement guarantees sufficient ductility. Furthermore, the data collected from the experimental research becomes a benchmark for the calibration of eventual further structural models.

Diaz, C.; Cornado, C.; Albareda-Valls, A.
Damage in face-brick facades placed between concrete slabs.
"Journal of building engineering", 27 Febrer 2020, núm. 30, p. 1-12.
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In recent decades, non-structural exposed brick facades have been widely used in Spain and other European and American countries. However, when they are partially supported by floor slabs, to give the image of a continuous element, they present problems that can lead to risks such as collapse and detachment of ceramic pieces. In this article, twenty-two affected buildings located in several Spanish cities were analyzed to determine the parameters that induce risk situations, and to identify the causes of each type of damage. The aim was to verify, using data extracted from real behavior of the facades under analysis, the fragility of most analytical models that have been adopted, in order to avoid anomalies. Consequently, the aim was also to obtain a more reliable starting point for future diagnosis and, when necessary, repair of such vulnerable face brick facades.

Díaz, C.; Cornadó, C.; Vima, S.; Ravetllat, P.; Garcia-Almirall, P.
Intervenciones de rehabilitación en grandes conjuntos habitacionales construidos durante el periodo 1950-1975.
ACE: Architecture, City and Environment, octubre 2019, año 14, núm. 41.
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Objetivo: Elaborar un estado del arte actualizado sobre las intervenciones de rehabilitación y transformación de los grandes conjuntos residenciales en Europa construidos entre 1950 y 1975, centrado especialmente en los aspectos y modificaciones físicas de que han sido objeto desde su terminación, con la finalidad de facilitar instrumentos de análisis aplicables en el futuro para la puesta en práctica de modelos de intervención verificados. Metodología: Este trabajo parte del estudio de la abundante casuística existente sobre las formas de intervención efectuadas en Europa en las últimas décadas, considerando los diversos procedimientos utilizados y las diversas escalas que abarcan desde el mantenimiento y la rehabilitación del conjunto original, hasta la demolición de la totalidad de edificios y la reordenación urbana del conjunto. A partir de esta casuística se establece una clasificación de los tipos de intervención que permite un análisis comparado de los casos presentados, tanto por lo que se refiere a las herramientas utilizadas como a su escala y repercusión sobre el conjunto. Finalmente, la elaboración de una cronología de intervenciones por caso y por país se orienta a la comprensión de la evolución de las diversas formas de intervención. Conclusiones: Si bien el conocimiento pormenorizado de las actuaciones realizadas en cada uno de los conjuntos estudiados y en los distintos contextos permite descubrir una progresiva diversificación de las actuaciones efectuadas, que pasan a ser claramente complejas y participadas en la última década, cabe destacar como ni la forma de intervención escogida ni la escala de la inversión económica efectuada han podido garantizar, en los casos estudiados, la solución de las problemáticas reales a las que iban dirigidas. Se constata que el éxito de una intervención física sobre una realidad urbana y social debe tener presente las formas reales de incidencia en las diversas escalas físicas y situaciones sociales que influyen en los comportamientos y aspiraciones de la población. Originalidad: El presente estudio aporta una clasificación de las diversas formas de intervención física de que han sido objeto los conjuntos objeto del presente estudio, la cual sirve de instrumento para su valoración comparativa y su evolución en el tiempo por caso y por país, desde una nueva perspectiva más amplia y transversal.

Cornadó, C.; Vima, S.; Díaz, C.; Ravetllat, P.; Garcia-Almirall, P.
Socio Spatial characterization of Large Housing Estates in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona.
IOP conference series: materials science and engineering, 771 (7), 072031. 2019.
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Fifty years after the construction of Large Housing Estates in the periphery of the Barcelona urban continuum, public administrations face the need to redesign polices and tools aimed at improving living conditions in each of these specific areas. The need to improve the current living conditions of the housing stock according to habitability exigencies, maintenance and repair of building pathology, the improvement of energy efficiency and the research of a better social integration of their population, are some of the issues that call for being addressed when aiming to improve Large Housing Estates. The current research provides a socio spatial characterization of 20 study cases according to the evaluation of both socio demographic, socio economic and spatial indicators and their evolution along 5 time periods since their construction. Even if all study cases originally had many common characteristics, their very different evolution in time calls for a specific analysis of the current state of each area. Moreover, the characterization of the different evolution of the studied indicators on each specific case is a very useful tool to identify and describe past and ongoing complex social and urban processes. The applied methodology provides a detection of risk parameters, allowing to identify the most vulnerable cases in comparison with the analysed cases as well as the city average indicators. The transversal capacity of considering simultaneously social aspects as well as urban, architectonic and technological aspects, provides an integral view on the current state of Large Housing Estates in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona. A result consisting of relevant information in order to design effective integral tools that refer to the particular social and physical contemporary conditions and ongoing processes on each site.

Cornadó, C.; Vima, S.; Martin, E.; Garcia-Almirall, P.; Uzqueda, A.
Methodology for the pre-diagnosis of residential buildings in vulnerable areas in the city of Barcelona.
Conference series: materials science and engineering, 471 (7), 072030. 2019.
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In a paradigm of raising urban economic and social inequality among south European cities, public administrations are confronted with the challenge to foster the improvement of the most deprived residential vulnerable areas. In the framework of the implementation of a building rehabilitation program on vulnerable residential neighbourhoods by the Barcelona City Council, the current research presents a technical and experimental approach on 16 of the most vulnerable areas. The aim of the study is to obtain a qualitative evaluation of the residential vulnerability as well as the identification of buildings with a most deprived physical state. The purposed methodology approaches a first pre-diagnosis of the building state and the detection of buildings that present a major need for rehabilitation actions, providing prioritization criteria. Rehabilitation is here considered from a wide and integral perspective, taking into account both socioeconomic aspects that describe the housing community and specific physic conditions of the built stock. Such methodology is complemented with the interchange of information with local actors, both from the social tissue and the neighbourhood local administration. The results of the present research provide the public administrations with the identification of data sources and a systematization of technical and social qualitative information onsite on a database, as well as the elaboration of a GIS analysis and cartography in a compendium of maps. The actualization and testing of quantitative information on specific areas provides the public administration with a set of very relevant tools in order to address specific and complex vulnerable areas and to efficiently invest public resources with the aim to improve both physical and social conditions of deprived neighbourhoods in long term.

López López, D. [et al.].
Tile vaults as integrated formwork for reinforced concrete: Construction, experimental testing and a method for the design and analysis of two-dimensional structures.
"Engineering structures", 2019, vol. 188, p. 233-248.
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Tile vaults are traditional, unreinforced masonry structures made of thin bricks (tiles), mortar and fast-setting cement or gypsum. They can be constructed without the need for a formwork, except at the boundaries, making them inherently economic. Tile vaults have historically provided a solution for the efficient construction of vaulted structures. Today, they can be used as permanent formwork for concrete shells, allowing for a significant reduction of the construction cost and waste produced, due to the possibility of reducing or even eliminating the need for traditional formwork. The concrete can be poured directly onto a tile-vaulted formwork to form a composite structure. This paper presents a technique for the construction of single-curvature shells consisting of a composite structure combining tile vaulting and reinforced concrete. A method for the design of these composite vaults and the assessment of their strength and stability against external loading is also presented. This method is based on limit analysis but takes into account the reinforcement’s contribution to the composite cross-section’s bending capacity. The equilibrium method is implemented computationally to provide fast results for the user. It provides graphical and intuitive results and opens the possibility for the future extension to fully three-dimensional problems. The design and structural analysis method is called Extended Limit Analysis for Reinforced Masonry (ELARM). Both the proposed construction technique and the computational method have been validated through experimental research. The feasibility of the building technique has been validated by the construction of two full-scale prototypes. In addition, the prototypes have been load-tested to failure to compare the results with those predicted by ELARM.

rearq
rehabilitació
i restauració
arquitectònica

rearq
rehabilitació
i restauració
arquitectònica

rearq rehabilitació i restauració arquitectònica

rearqrehabilitació i restauracióarquitectònica

rearq
rehabilitació
i restauració
arquitectònica

rearq
rehabilitació
i restauració
arquitectònica