The Seismic Coat: A Sustainable and Integrated Approach to the Retrofit of Existing Buildings

Within the EU's environmental policy, redevelopment strategies must be designed by adopting an integrated approach. This approach considers energy savings in buildings and seismic safety as driving forces of economic growth. The recent technological evolution experienced by the construction sector has aimed to define a new building element, the seismic coat. This term refers to a structural "skin" that improves both the seismic safety and the energy efficiency of existing buildings according to standards identified by current regulations. With this regard, research was started with the aim of defining a sustainable seismic coat consisting of dry-assembled panels of natural stone blocks that are prestressed with the use of steel reinforcements. The experimentation carried out on the panel so far has shown significant results as the test building improved in terms of energy savings, seismic safety, sustainability, functionality, and aesthetic quality. By taking a case study of a 1960s building as reference, this paper highlights the findings obtained by the feasibility study of the panel, with a special focus on its technical and construction aspects, and to facilitate its manufacture with the use of industrialized processes. Furthermore, this research provides the installation procedures for the panel components and all relevant details regarding the connections with the existing structure of the building.