BUILT HERITAGE ANALYSIS AND CONSERVATION, ICT AND BIM FOR HERITAGE, ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT, SIMULATION-BASED DESIGN
BHiLab | Built Heritage innovation Lab
Built Heritage innovation Lab is an interdisciplinary laboratory, open to researchers with different backgrounds, who exert their theoretical and applied skills to improve the knowledge and conservation of built heritage, by innovating analysis and intervention procedures through ICT methodologies’ integration.
The research group’s distinctiveness lies in its ability, developed over the years, to deal with the overall workflow of operations defined as “building analysis”, from the acquisition of multi-scale data, to their post-processing and subsequent integration within semantically enriched digital representations of information.
This workflow path is completed with the development of predictive models through MCDA (Multi Criteria Decision Analysis) decision support tools to evaluate preventive conservation solutions with holistic approaches, useful for understanding the feasibility and compatibility of planned interventions on listed buildings and historic centres.
A strategic vision characterised by internationally recognized scientific results, e.g. Europa Nostra Award awarded in 2009.
BHiLab is currently engaged in numerous research projects, both at the national and European level, and in research activities addressing key topics for the innovation of re-functionalization processes of built heritage and for the fight against climate change, within an integrated and sustainable conservation approach of buildings and urban areas.
In particular, the lines of research of BHiLab move in the following directions:
- development and application of methodologies for survey and analysis of the architectural, structural and functional characteristics of buildings, for the quantitative and qualitative assessment of damage and for the identification technical and construction deficiencies, if any. Development of strategies for restoration projects and buildings and historic centres’ reuse. Definition of protocols for structures’ consolidation and materials’ conservation;
- management of diagnostic, geometric, structural, MEP, functional, energy-environmental information and general conservation state of built heritage, with the aim of ICT platforms, to enhance an original approach to Heritage Building Information Modelling - HBIM. This process involves interoperable numerical and parametric 3D-modelling, with specialized information databases, including the integration of monitoring and real-time decision support systems based on IoT;
- analysis and energy-environmental improvement of historical buildings and their technological adaptation, including via Simulation-Based Design;
- development of new applications and strategies for museum spaces’ design and for the conservation, adaptation and fruition of archaeological sites, with innovative design solutions for Exhibit, particularly attentive to the themes of accessibility and Universal Design.
BHiLab is part of DTC LAZIO Centre of Excellence, which comprises 12 THEMATIC networks of high-tech laboratories, with specific expertise and qualifications in the varied areas of interest of DTC. E. Gigliarelli, together with C. Bianchini (Sapienza University of Rome), coordinates la the Network 10 "Digital technologies for architecture, territorial knowledge, urban regeneration, design".
For many years, BHiLab has been collaborating with the High Technology Research Centre for Sustainable Construction STRESS, based in Naples. The collaboration with BHiLab, carried out over the years with numerous regional projects (Metrics, Smartcase, Provaci, Strit, Earth Maps Service, CrossBow, and others) and currently with Prosit project, aims to develop and implement technologies for the restoration and valorization of cultural heritage, following a multidisciplinary approach, with particular attention to methodologies for the diagnostics and protection of built heritage and archaeological sites.
BHiLab Staff
Luigi Biocca
Filippo Calcerano
Giovanni Caruso
Luciano Cessari
Stefano Cursi
Elena Gigliarelli
Chadi El Khoury
Letizia Martinelli
Nicolò Paraciani
Anna Paola Pola
Elena Verticchio
Associati al BHiLab
Michele Calvano, Sapienza Università di Roma, Giovanni Cangi, Università Roma Tre, Claudio Intrigila, Università Tor Vergata
How to contact us
bhilab@ispc.cnr.it
Equipment
Workstation; GEOSLAM ZEB HORIZON RT, 3Deye; Full frame mirrorless camera Canon; Insta 360PRO2, Infra-red Drone MatriceM30T; Drone MavicMini Pro3, Infra red thermal camera HD Flir T1020 with wide angle, 4 heat flux measuring systems IoT Extratech, 12 IoT environmental monitoring probes, BlowerDoorTest Retrotec EU6210, Pacometer, Luxmeter, Hygrometer, Videoendoscope.
Discover the BHiLab
Projects and Research activities
- SHAREN | Energy‐SHAring Solutions and Communities for enhanced Renewable ENergy in the MEDiterranean Historic Centres
- BEACON | Built hEritage sustAinable CONservation
- SCAENAE | Teatro Barocco Italiano. Paradigmi della Scena e della Memoria Culturale
- ECHOES | European Cloud for Heritage OpEn Science
- BEEP | BIM for Energy Efficiency in the public sector
- DTC | Digital Twin City
- HBIM4LazioHERITAGE | Sistema informativo integrato HBIM per la conservazione e la gestione di siti culturali nel Lazio
- IDEHA | Innovation for Data Elaboration in Heritage Areas
- TECH-START | Key enabling TECHnologies and Smart environmenT in the Age of gReen economy. Convergent innovations in the open space/building system for climaTe mitigation
- E-RIHS.it LAZIO | Progetto co-finanziato POR FESR Lazio 2014-2020
- HBIM4MANN | Progetto per la realizzazione di una piattaforma HBIM (Heritage Building Information Modeling) del Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli, finalizzata alla documentazione e gestione dei dati architettonici, museali e alla gestione dei servizi
- INT4CT | hIstory coNstrucTion for beauty CommunicaTion
- CHEAC | Cultural Heritage After Covid. Interoperabile Pompei
- SSHOC | Social Sciences & Humanities Open Cloud. Progetto europeo H2020-INFRAEOSC-2018-2020; Partecipazione a WP3 e WP5
- PRO-SIT | PROgettare in SostenibilITà qualificazione e digitalizzazione in edilizia
- VICHI | Study, Conservation, and Valorization of Imperial Citadels in Vietnam
- KASVAL | Study, conservation, and Valorization of the Kasbahs in Morocco
- Tecnologie multidisciplinari per lo studio e la conservazione di monasteri post bizantini in Albania meridionale
- The archaeological site of Umm er-Rasas: innovative technologies and training activities for the conservation and enhancement
- Multidisciplinary Technologies for the Conservation and Valorisation of Mediterranean Sites and Cultural Landscapes: Drinos River Valley (Al) and Amalfi Mills Valley (It)
For further information on ISPC research activities click the button.
Main collaborations
University and Research
- CNRS – Centre national de la recherche scientifique
- CSIC – Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas
- Cyprus Institute: The Energy, Environment and Water Research Center, Science and Technology in Archaeology and Culture Research Center
- Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
- International University of Rabat
- Oxford Brookes University, Department of Real Estate and Construction
- Peking University, Department of Urban and Regional Planning
- Sapienza -Università di Roma, Dipartimento Pianificazione Design e Tecnologia dell’architettura PDTA
- The Royal Scientific Society, National Energy Research Center
- Università degli Studi di Bologna, Dipartimento di Storia Culture Civiltà
- Università degli Studi di Chieti-Pescara, Dipartimento di Scienze psicologiche, della salute e del territorio
- Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Dipartimento di Architettura
- Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Dipartimento di Architettura, Dipartimento di Strutture per l’Ingegneria e l’Architettura
- Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, Dipartimento di Storia disegno e restauro dell’architettura DSDRA
- Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata, Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell’Impresa
- Università del Salento, Dipartimento di Ingegneria per l’innovazione
- Università di Macerata, Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici
- Università Politecnica delle Marche, Facoltà di Ingegneria
- University of New South Wales, Department of Built Environment
- WHITRAP Shanghai
- Xi’An Jiaotong Liverpool University, Department of Architecture and Design
Museums
- Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Ferrara
- Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli
- Museo Etno Antropologico, Castello arabo normanno, Castellammare del Golfo
- Museo Irpino, ex carcere borbonico, Avellino
Public administrations
- Agenzia del Demanio (State Property Agency)
- Institute of Cultural Monuments in Tirana (IMK)
- Istituto Valenciano de la Edificaciòn
- Lebanese Center for Cultural Heritage Preservation
- Ministry “Sustainable Development and Tourism” of Montenegro
- Ministero della Cultura, DG-ABAP – Servizio III – Tutela del patrimonio storico, artistico e architettonico
- Palestinian Center for Cultural Heritage Preservation
- Türkiye Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change/General Directorate of Construction Affairs
Enterprises
- ACCA Software
- Alternative Energies Generation – ENERCOOP
- Architecture2030
- Built Buildings Lab
- Engeko
- ENup s.r.l.
- Extratech
- Innovaway s.r.l.
- Iperboole s.r.l.
- Logical Soft
Organizations
- AISU – Associazione Italiana di Storia Urbana
- Climate Heritage Network
- IBIMI – Institute for BIM Italy – Italian Building Smart chapter
- IBPSA – International Building Performance Simulation Association
- ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability
- SITdA – Società Italiana Tecnologia dell’Architettura
Main publications
E. Verticchio, Elena, Letizia Martinelli, Elena Gigliarelli, Andrew Potts, Elena Lucchi, and Filippo Calcerano. 2026. Built Heritage Adaptation and Mitigation: The Need for a Joint Effort through Heritage Science, in Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Cultural and Natural Heritage. Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-34061-1.00010-X
E. Verticchio, L. Martinelli, E. Gigliarelli, F. Calcerano, Current Practices and Open Issues on the Whole-Building Dynamic Simulation of Historical Buildings: A Review of the Literature Case Studie, “Building and Environment”, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2024.111621
F. Calcerano, S. Thravalou, L. Martinelli, K. Alexandrou, G. Artopoulos, E. Gigliarelli, Energy and Environmental Improvement of Built Heritage: HBIM Simulation-Based Approach Applied to Nine Mediterranean Case-Studies, “Building Research & Information”, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1080/09613218.2023.2204417
L. Martinelli, F. Calcerano, F. Adinolfi, D. Chianetta, E. Gigliarelli, Open HBIM-IoT Monitoring Platform for the Management of Historical Sites and Museums. An Application to the Bourbon Royal Site of Carditello, “International Journal of Architectural Heritage”, 2023, 1–18, https://doi.org/10.1080/15583058.2023.2272130
C. Cornaro, G. Bovesecchi, F. Calcerano, L. Martinelli, E. Gigliarelli, An HBIM Integrated Approach Using Non-Destructive Techniques (NDT) to Support Energy and Environmental Improvement of Built Heritage: The Case Study of Palazzo Maffei Borghese in Rome, “Sustainability” 15 (14): 11389, 2023, https://doi.org/10.3390/su151411389
L. Martinelli, F. Calcerano, E. Gigliarelli, Methodology for an HBIM Workflow Focused on the Representation of Construction Systems of Built Heritage, “Journal of Cultural Heritage”, 55, 2022, 277–89, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2022.03.016
M. Calvano, L. Martinelli, F. Calcerano, E. Gigliarelli, Parametric Processes for the Implementation of HBIM—Visual Programming Language for the Digitisation of the Index of Masonry Quality, “ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information”, 11 (2): 93, 2022, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi11020093
S. Cursi, L. Martinelli, N. Paraciani, F. Calcerano, E. Gigliarelli, Linking External Knowledge to Heritage BIM, “Automation in Construction” 141: 104444, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2022.104444
C. Di Biccari, F. Calcerano, F. D’Uffizi, A. Esposito, M. Campari, E. Gigliarelli, Building Information Modeling and Building Performance Simulation Interoperability: State-of-the-Art and Trends in Current Literature, “Advanced Engineering Informatics” 54: 101753, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aei.2022.101753
E. Gigliarelli, F. Calcerano, L. Martinelli, G Artopoulos, S. Thravalou, K. Alexandrou, Methodology for the Energy Renovation of Heritage Buildings Using BIM, Rome 2022, CNR edizioni
E. Gigliarelli, F. Calcerano, L. Cessari, Heritage Bim, Numerical Simulation and Decision Support Systems: An Integrated Approach for Historical Buildings Retrofit. 2017, Energy Procedia, Climamed 2017 – Mediterranean Conference of HVAC Historical buildings retrofit in the Mediterranean area (Matera, Italy 12-13 May 2017), 2017, 133, 135–44, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2017.09.379
