Building green covering for a sustainable use of energy

Nowadays the growth of the cities increased built and paved areas, energy use and heat generation. The phenomenon of urban warming, called urban heat island, influences negatively outdoor comfort conditions, pollutants concentration, energy demand for air conditioning, as well as increases environmental impact due to the demand of energy generation. A sustainable technology for improving the energy efficiency of buildings is the use of green roofs and walls in order to reduce the energy consumption for conditioning in summer and improve the thermal insulation in winter. The use of green roofs and walls can contribute to mitigate the phenomenon of heat island, the emissions of greenhouse gas…

Research activities in the first two cycles of Italian Biosystems Engineering University studies

In Italy, from the academic year 2000-2001, Universities offer 3-year 1st cycle degree study programmes, 2-year 2nd cycle degree study programmes and 3rd cycle degrees. During the implementation of the Bologna process in Italy, from the academic year 2008-2009, 3+2 year University study programmes were updated. In the Italian Agricultural Engineering teaching institutions the students of the 1st and 2nd cycles can carry out research activities, through their thesis work and/or their coursework project. In Italy the access to research positions for the 2nd cycle graduates is a little more common than for the 1st cycle graduates. Possible actions and activities for preserving the topics of ra…

Tools for quality assurance and assessment of Agricultural Engineering programmes, TUNING subject-area lines and disappearing/rare knowledge in Italy

The quality assurance process applied by Italian State University institutions, in order to achieve some level of internal quality control or assessment for the offered study programmes, is established in the funding criteria of the Ordinary Financing Fund (FFO), decided by the National Committee for the Evaluation of the University System (CNVSU). In most Italian Universities the quality assurance and assessment procedure of the study programmes starts with a report, written by a specific committee, that carries out an internal assessment, by which the strong and weak points of the study programme and the related causes are focused. The quality assurance and assessment procedure appoints t…

Develop biosystems engineering study programs towards bio-fuels, bio-materials and quality of products: current situation and perspectives in Italy

Nowadays in Italy specific modules-specialisations in the area of bio-fuels, biomaterials and quality of products are offered by the Faculties of Engineering of the Universities of Bologna, Milan Polytechnic, Padua, Pisa, Rome “La Sapienza” and Rome “Tor Vergata”. Specific courses in bio-fuels, bio-materials and quality of products are offered by the Italian Faculties of Agriculture of the Universities of Bari, Bologna, Florence, Milan, Campobasso, Padua and Teramo. Because most of the above study programs were established in the last year, according to the D.M. (Law of the Ministry of Education, University and Research) n. 270 of the 22nd October 2004 and, above all, offered only from the …

The Italian University Structure and Degrees on Agricultural Engineering

In Italy the University structure and degree courses changed dramatically in 2001, moving from degrees of five years, plus three years of Ph.D., to two levels of degree: a first level of three years, plus, eventually, a second level of two years and the unchanged Ph.D. This “revolution” explains the lack of information in some topics and leaves the possibility of further changes in the number, titles and contents of the degrees presented in this paper.

Dall’Ingegneria Agraria all’Ingegneria dei Biosistemi: didattica e ricerca in Europa e negli USA

Il tradizionale settore dell’Ingegneria Agraria da alcuni anni si sta evolvendo, a livello internazionale, verso quello più ampio dell’Ingegneria dei Biosistemi. L’Ingegneria Agraria applica l’ingegneria alle scienze agrarie, mentre l’Ingegneria dei Biosistemi estende le applicazioni dell’ingegneria alle scienze biologiche ed ambientali, per uno sviluppo sostenibile dell’agricoltura, del settore alimentare, dell’uso del suolo e dell’ambiente, includendo pertanto tematiche innovative quali i bio-materiali, le energie rinnovabili, la gestione dei reflui, la tracciabilità, la qualità e la sicurezza degli alimenti, ecc. Come conseguenza della suddetta evoluzione sono stati istituiti: - a livell…

Restructuring agricultural/biosystems engineering studies and employability in Italy

In Italy there is a society of Agricultural Engineering (Italian Association of Agricultural Engineering - AIIA), to which agronomists and engineers involved in agricultural, forestry and food processing sectors belong, but only recently a few Agricultural Engineering degrees were introduced. However, they are inadequately educated as Agricultural Engineers, because of the limited amount of Engineering learning outcomes. The “recognition” process of Agricultural Engineering study programs proposed by USAEE-TN will make the Agricultural Engineer profession much more known than before and the related degree more appreciated by industries, companies, private and public sectors and, therefore, …

Definition of the Emerging Biosystems Engineering Discipline in Europe: the Current Situation in Italy