Curriculum vitae Marta Calzolari

Profile

Marta Calzolari is an architect, PhD in Architectural Technology and Associate Professor at the Department of Architecture (DA) of the University of Ferrara, Italy (UNIFE).

From 2021 to 2024 she was Assistant Professor at the DA,UNIFE.

From 2019 to 2021 she was Assistant Professor at the Department of Engineering and Architecture (DIA) of the University of Parma, Italy (UNIPR).

Since 2009 at the DA UNIFE she is a member of the Architettura>Energia Research Centre (A>E), a research hub working on building sustainability where she participates at the research’s activities and at the coordination.

In April 2013 she received the title of PhD in Architectural Technology (final grade: excellent) with a thesis titled: “Evaluation of the energy behaviour of historic architecture. Analysis of the methods for calculating the energy status and corrective proposals”. During the PhD she was visiting scholar at the University of Nottingham, Department of the Built Environment (UK). The doctoral thesis has also received three first prizes in scientific competitions.

From 2015 to 2019 she worked as research fellow at the DA UNIFE for the operational coordination of a research project for the energy-environmental analysis of the entire architectural heritage of the University of Ferrara.

Scientific and academic responsabilities

- Coordinator of the working group for the DIA UNIPR for the PRIN 2017 project “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". Principal Investigator: prof. Mario Rosario Losasso (University of Napoli Federico II).

- Co-Supervisor and team member for the project “HeLLo - Heritage energy Living Lab on site” H2020 – MSCA-IF-2017-EF Marie Curie Individual Fellowships Standard (Fellow: arch. Luisa Dias Pereira) DA UNIFE.

- Change leader in the core group of stakeholders 2015-2017 of GBC Italia for the European project BUILD UPON (HORIZON 2020), Europe Regional Network, World Green Building Council.

- Coordination of the research for the definition of simplified calculation methods for the planning of retrofit interventions of Public Administration assets - Memorandum of Understanding between the Municipality of Verucchio (Italy) and the DA UNIFE, A>E Research Centre.

- Co-project leader of the project “#HeLivingLabs – Heritage’s energy Living Labs”, DA UNIFE and Eurac Research Bolzano, Italy. Project leaders: M. Calzolari, P. Davoli, E. Lucchi.

- Member of the steering committee, responsible for the "Architectural Design Task" for UNIFE and project architect of the team selected for the Solar Decathlon Middle East 2018 international competition, DA UNIFE, A>E Research Centre and University of Sharjah, Architectural Engineering Department, University City, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

Research activities

She has worked on several research projects in the field of both new construction and energy, environmental and functional requalification of the existing building heritage.

Since 2010 the research has mainly focused on the energy and environmental enhancement of historic heritage. During the first period, the application of the main technological solutions for increasing energy performance of historic buildings was examined. Then, M. Calzolari assessed a critical evaluation of the current methods for the calculation of energy performance, developed for new buildings, when applied to historic ones, with the aim of developing specific calculation tools for this building’s typology. She has also focused the research interest to define intervention guidelines for the recovery of historic villages or existing buildings’ stocks. In recent years, she started working in the field of environmental monitoring campaign and digital twin to promote innovative strategies and awareness in the construction field for the intervention on historic buildings both for private and public stakeholders. Her main projects are:

- Project “Task 59: Renovating Historic Buildings Towards Zero Energy” IEA International Energy Agency (Leader), Eurac Research Bolzano, UCL, BBRI (BE), Fraunhofer ISE & IBP (DE), SBI (DK), POLIMI (IT), Carrig/ICOMOS (IE), Tecnalia, Cupa innovacion (ES), PSU (US), Auckland and Victoria University (NZ), SUPSI (CH), University of Ferrara, Department of Architecture, Italy. The international working group aims to develop solutions for energy recovery for the reduction of consumption, respect the cultural character and contribute to safeguarding the cultural and architectural value of these buildings.

- Project "INNO-ZEB / INNOvative active and passive technologies for nearly Zero Energy Buildings" (2014-2016). Funded (first place) by "University Internationalization Initiatives - Year 2014". DA UNIFE, (principal investigator prof. P. Davoli), University of Auckland  - National Institute of Creative Arts and Industries, School of Architecture and Planning (New Zealand), Tianjin University – School of Architecture (People’s Republic of China), University of Minho – School of Architecture (Portugal).

The project has initiated new teaching and research processes in the field of new technologies and methods for the design of appropriate and affordable "Nearly zero energy buildings" ("NZEB"), even in the case of retrofitting the existing building stock, in order to significantly reduce energy consumption.

- "Study of design strategies for energy and environmental efficiency of the historic village of Caporciano". DA UNIFE.

Project leader: prof. Pietromaria Davoli. M. Calzolari has actively participated in the energy in-situ survey of the data necessary for the calculation of the energy performance of the village’s buildings through a fast analysis system. She also contributed to the development of the expeditious tool, useful for assessing the state of art and defining energy requalification strategies.

- Member of the Scientific Technical Committee “Materials and Resources” for LEED Italy (Green Building Council Italia).

- Member of the research group "British-Italian partnership for young researcher", in collaboration with the University of Nottingham, Department of the Built Environment (United Kingdom), DA UNIFE, Italy - University of Nottingham, Department of Built Environment, UK.

Technical and scientific Committee Membership

Since 2015 she is member of SITdA - Italian Society of Architectural Technology, with activities within the "Nearly Zero Energy Building - nZEB" thematic cluster.

Since 2020 she is reviewer for the International Journal Editor MDPI. Since 2018 she is reviewer for the class A magazines (Area 08) Territorio, Franco Angeli Editore (Double blind review) and Techne – Journal of Technology for Architecture and Environment. Since 2017 she is member of the editorial committee of the Series of Volumes "Designing for sustainable construction" by Maggioli Editore (double blind review), she was reviewer for the SER4SC (Seismic and Energy Renovation for Sustainable Cities - International Conference Catania - Italy 1st to 3rd conference February 2018). Since 2016 she is peer reviewer for the scientific journal Energy Research & Social Science, Elsevier Editorial System. Since 2017 she is member of the Scientific Committee, and since 2009 curator, for the A>E research centre of the "Energy Efficiency" column of the Recupero e Conservazione Magazine, De Lettera Editore and from 2021 of “L’Ufficio Tecnico” by Maggioli Editore.

Teaching activity

From A.Y. 2012/2013 she teaches Architectural Technology and Sustainable Design at the DIA UNIPR (2019-2021) and at the DA UNIFE (2012-2019 and 2021-ongoing).

She also teaches at various postgraduate training and professional courses.

In 2018, she was an external lecturer at Seminar "Advanced Construction for Energy Efficiency, Spring 2018" with the Online seminar "Wood constructions. Main principles and case studies” to the Elective Course “Special topics in Construction: Advanced Construction of Energy Efficiency”, University of Sharjah, Architectural Engineering Department, (UAE).

Since 2019, she is a member of the scientific board for the Innovative PhD Program in Environmental Sustainability and Wellbeing, UNIFE, Interdisciplinary, intersectoral and international PhD course.

In 2019, she was a member of the Committee for the Double Degree (Course of Studies in Architecture) between the University of Parma and the Ecole D’Architecture de L’Universitè Internationale de Rabat (Morocco), DIA UNIPR.

She is supervisor in master’s and Phd’s thesis.

Scientific appointment/prizes

- Winner of “Niccolò Copernico 2014 for innovative thesis in scientific and technological disciplines” Award in the field of Architectural Technology with the PhD thesis "Evaluation of the energy behaviour of historic architecture. Analysis of the methods for calculating the energy status and corrective proposals”, May 10, 2014.

- Best doctoral thesis of the 25th cycle for the Doctoral School in Architectural Technology of the University of Ferrara, IUSS DAY - IUSS Ferrara 1391 (April 2, 2014).

- First place at the "University and sustainability, Sustainable Unife" award Academic year 2012/2013 in the <energy - environmental> section with the PhD research "Evaluation of the energy behaviour of historical architecture. Analysis of the methods for calculating the state of affairs energy and corrective proposals " (February 14, 2014).

- GBC Italia Awards, “Italian Leadership Award” for the Leadership in Green Building category in the public sector: the winner is the DA UNIFE, A>E Research centre with the project “SUSTAINABLE UNIFE - Energy screening of the building stock of the University of Ferrara and preliminary proposals for the planning phase of retrofit interventions”.

- GBC Italia Awards, “Italian Leadership Award” for the Leadership in Green Building category in the public sector: the winner is the DA UNIFE, A>E Research centre with the MSCA IF "HeLLo - Heritage energy Living Labs onsite" project.