OPEN ACCESS
As envisaged in the ‘Agenda for a sustainable and competitive European tourism’, the adoption of a holistic and integrated approach and the use of the best available knowledge and technologies are key aspects to ensure sustainable tourism. In particular, policies and actions should be planned by considering the latest and best available knowledge, and, at the same time, analyzing all the related impacts on the area of intervention. In this context, this paper describes an approach to design sustainable tourist accommodations in areas characterized by high environmental value (e.g. natural protected areas) by minimizing the related impacts on the surrounding environment and sensitizing users towards preservation and conservation of natural resources. In fact, the aim of biodiversity conservation included in each rule for a natural protected area requires the application of eco friendly technologies and sustainable strategies for the protection of the natural heritage. In the proposed approach, three aspects of tourist accommodations have been considered: the system component, the building envelope and the integration between them. As a result, the architectural structures designed, including the materials, shape, energy efficiency, modularity and removability, are in line with the standards of bio-architecture. The materials used comply with the technical requirements and the technological needs of tourist accommodations, are mostly recycled or reusable and come from the surrounding area, so they can be easily integrated into the landscape. The components that make up the accommodations are easy to assemble and disassemble, making it possible for them to be reused in another area, without changing the environmental conditions at the new site. Some components are precast and prepared on-site using local materials whose modularity makes them highly suitable for use in different environmental and morphological conditions. To use these architectural structures in places without services and distribution networks for energy and water, special attention has been given to develop innovative and sustainable energy solutions: liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has been used as the only energy vector, in combination with a cogeneration plant, to provide heat and electric energy as well as with specific building envelopes that allow the transfer of LPG into the walls to provide energy to innovative gas appliances. The environmental impact of the proposed approach was assessed by analyzing the environmental application of these structures in tourist accommodations in the Circeo National Park in Italy.
Combined heat and power plant, environmental impact mitigation, innovative gas appliances, sus- tainable tourist accommodation
[1] Janusz, G.K. & Bajdor, P., Towards to sustainable tourism – framework, activities and dimensions. Procedia Economics and Finance, 6, pp. 523–529, 2013. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s2212-5671(13)00170-6
[2] Andersson, T.D. & Lundberg, E., Commensurability and sustainability: triple impact assessments of a tourism event. Tourism Management, 37, pp. 99–109, 2013. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2012.12.015
[3] Astiaso Garcia, D., Cumo, F., Sforzini V., & Albo, A., Eco friendly service buildings for sustainable tourism and environmental awareness in protected areas. WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment, 161, pp. 323–330, 2012. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.2495/st120261
[4] Cinquepalmi, F., Cumo, F., Gugliermetti, F. & Sforzini, V. Advanced technologies for sustainable building in the protected areas: two case studies in Italy. WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment, 128, pp. 551–560, 2010. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.2495/arc100471
[5] Cumo, F., Cinquepalmi, F., Pennacchia, E. & Sforzini, V. High performing building as a pier for sustainable tourism in the protected area of Bracciano Lake in Italy. WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment, 165, pp. 175–182, 2012. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.2495/arc120161
[6] Ko, T.G., Development of a tourism sustainability assessment procedure: a conceptual approach. Tourism Management, 26(3), pp. 431–445, 2005. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2003.12.003
[7] Choi, H.C. & Sirakaya, E., Sustainability indicators for managing community tourism. Tourism Management, 27(6), pp. 1274–1289, 2006. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2005.05.018
[8] Lozano-Oyolaa, M., Blancas, F.J., González, M. & Caballero, R., Sustainable tourism indicators as planning tools in cultural destinations. Ecological Indicators, 18, pp. 659–675, 2012. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2012.01.014
[9] World Tourism Organization, World Travel and Trade Council, Earth Council, Agenda 21 for the Travel and Tourism Industry, 1996. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/004728759403200388
[10] Osservatorio Nazionale del Turismo, Istat, Banca d’Italia, Unioncamere-Isnart, Rapporto Turismo 2012, Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri, 2013.
[11] Bushell, R. & Eagles, P.F.J. (eds), Tourism and Protected Areas: Benefits Beyond Boundaries (The Vth IUCN World Park Congress), CABI: Oxfordshire, 2007. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/9780851990224.0000
[12] Nyaupane, G.P. & Poudel, S., Linkages among biodiversity, livelihood, and tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 38(4), pp. 1344–1366, 2011.
[13] Dharmaratne, G.S., Sang, F.Y. & Walling, L.J., Tourism potentials for financing protected areas. Annals of Tourism Research, 27(3), pp. 590–610, 2000. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0160-7383(99)00109-7
[14] Alanne, K. & Saari, A., Sustainable small-scale CHP technologies for buildings: the basis for multi-perspective decision-making. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 8, pp. 4001–4031, 2004. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2003.12.005
[15] Hawkes, A.D. & Leach, M.A., Cost-effective operating strategy for residential micro-combined heat and power. Energy, 32, pp. 711–723, 2007. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2006.06.001
[16] Astiaso Garcia, D., Bruschi, D., Cinquepalmi, F. & Cumo, F., An estimation of urban fragmentation of natural habitats: case studies of the 24 Italian national parks. Chemical Engineering Transactions (ICheaP-11, 11th International Conference on Chemical & Process Engineering), 32, pp. 49–54, 2013.
[17] De Santoli, L., Astiaso Garcia, D. & Violante, A.C., Planning of flood defence management and rehabilitation of the natural habitat in the downstream part of the river Tiber. WIT Transaction on the Built Environment, 100. pp. 25–34, 2008. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.2495/geo080031
[18] Bianchi, M., De Pascale, A. & Spina, P.R., Guidelines for residential micro-CHP systems design. Applied Energy, 97, pp. 673–685, 2012. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2011.11.023
[19] Audenaert, A., De Cleyn, S.H. & Buyle, M., LCA of low-energy flats using the Eco-indicator 99 method: impact of insulation materials. Energy and Buildings, 47, pp. 68–73, 2012. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2011.11.028
[20] Astiaso Garcia, D., Cinquepalmi, F. & Cumo, F., Air quality in Italian small harbours: a proposed assessment methodology. Rendiconti Lincei, 24(4), pp. 309–318, 2013. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12210-013-0254-0
[21] Cumo, F., Astiaso Garcia, D., Calcagnini, L., Rosa, F. & Sferra, A.S., Urban policies and sustainable energy management. Sustainable Cities and Society, 4, pp. 29–34, 2012. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2012.03.003
[22] De Santoli, L., Lo Basso, G. & Bruschi, D., Hybrid system with an integrated CHP plant fuelled by H2NG blends: theoretical energy-environmental analysis and foreseeable optimizations. Energy and Building, 71, pp. 88–94, 2014. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2013.12.008
[23] De Santoli, L., Lo Basso, G. & Bruschi, D. Energy characterization of CHP (combined heat and power) fuelled with hydrogen enriched natural gas blends. Energy, 60, pp. 13–22, 2013. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2013.07.012
[24] De Santoli, L., Lo Basso, G. & Bruschi, D., A small scale H2NG production plant in Italy: techno-economic feasibility analysis and costs associated with carbon avoidance. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 39(12), pp. 6497–6517, 2014. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2014.02.003