Since 1868 Palazzo Foscari has been the seat of Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, with 20,000 students, 1,000 professors, researchers and staff, and 3,000 graduate students every year. On September 19th, 2013, the Venetian Gothic palace overlooking the Grand Canal, has officially earned the LEED certification, becoming the oldest “green” building on the planet.”

The project of restoration and functional adaptation concerns the main headquarters of the University Ca’ Foscari. The Ca’ Foscari complex has as its historical fulcrum “Ca’ Foscari”, the noble palace built “in volta de Canal” in 1453 by Doge Francesco Foscari.

Three other buildings are connected: Giustinian Palace of the Bishops, New Wing, and Squellini Palace. The complex constitutes a “piece of city”, almost devoid of building adhesions and served by public water and land routes on each side. Given the intrinsic variety of the buildings composing the complex, there is a need for the Administration to house managerial and administrative activities. Representative, exhibition, and reception activities in the project were conceived to give coherence and homogeneity both to the functional layout and to the use of the spaces themselves. The development of such an articulated and progressive design philosophy involved the definition of very comprehensive analysis and research methodologies.

The architectural design required a dual commitment: the need to meet the Client’s needs and the desire to “clean” the building.  This was following the thread of a conservative restoration, from the superstructures that had made it unrecognizable. Thus, it was decided to recover the fifteenth-century cells by restoring the large volumes that the surface of the last thirty years of the 20th century had fractionated, so that the building could regain its pristine brightness and airiness.

Steel, glass, and resin were the materials chosen for the creation of all that is new. The materials chosen made it possible to highlight the historical apparatus and to leave a mark of the just-completed restoration intervention.

Water. Improvements on faucets, toilet flushing systems, and aerators have increased efficiency and reduced drinking water consumption by 28%, passing from the 7,074 m3/year baseline to 5,106 m3/year. To foster energy efficiency, the University has already started revamping infrastructures by installing new high-efficiency heat generators, and by optimizing systems centralized control units. Energy consumption is constantly monitored to analyze consumption patterns and identify targeted maintenance strategies. Feasibility studies have been conducted to improve energy efficiency, focusing on lighting, by replacing traditional fixtures with high-performance light sources.

Green procurement. At Ca’ Foscari University, a Green Procurement policy has been designed for 60% of consumer goods and stationery, and for office durable goods, including computers, printers, photocopiers and furniture. So far, compliance has reached 40%. The University has also committed to reducing the amount of mercury by using mercury-free energy-saving fixtures, for indoor and outdoor lighting. The University aims at having at least 90% of fixtures complying with general limits envisaged in terms of mercury content. Even before the LEED project, Ca’ Foscari University experimented with some strategies to implement separate waste collection (RADICA project). Some of the measures copies/year, corresponding to 300 kilograms of paper. In addition, student booklets were replaced by paperless formats. Said measures have allowed saving 80,000 euros per year. Due to existing policies and to the Green Procurement Policy implemented at Palazzo Foscari, 80% of the total volume/weight of waste produced will be recycled. Concerning the lifecycle of durable goods, Ca’ Foscari University also selects suppliers and products envisaging recycling and reuse of parts that can still work. At least 60% of cleaning products used at Ca’ Foscari University will be Ecolabel certified products. Ecolabel is the European label certifying company offering low environmental impact products and services. LEED-complying products have also been identified.

LEED AP:

Alberto Ballardini – Habitech Distretto & Tecnologico Trentino

Commissioning Authority: Benedetta Gaglioppa – Habitech & Distretto Tecnologico Trentino

Preliminary, Definitive, Executive Design, Works Management, CSP, CSE, CPI

Lead Partner of R.T.P.

1. Zuanier, G. Bellavitis, G. Caprioglio,
2. Vitaliani, AP&P srl, G. Serafini, D. Vatta

Image credits:  Flavio Zuanier, Zuanier Associates