Maintenance and assessment of environmental sustainability in buildings: a possible synergy between present and future

“Shaping the Future of Construction” (WEF, 2016) is the title of a group of reports produced for 2016 World Economic Forum, concerning the new directions and orientations towards which the construction sector must place its attention. Seizing both the opportunities deriving from the digital revolution and the need no longer to postpone guaranteeing design and constructive quality over time, as well as the eco-efficiency of buildings and the saving of resources. An integrated approach in line with the contents of the EU Communication “Towards a thematic strategy on the urban environment” (COM, 2004-60) which oriented towards the adoption of tools for assessing the integrated energy performance of buildings to be applied from the design phase. Issue that, the experience in the joint working group of the Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria and the University of Calabria for the drafting of the ITACA Region Calabria Protocol, has tried to transfer, in current practice; introducing them among the contents of the Area Evaluation E_Quality of the service. These aspects, with specific reference to Area E, differentiate and characterize the version of the ITACA Regione Calabria Protocol as a peculiar and distinctive factor. The principle underlying the choices related to Area E, is the awareness that it is important to design, build or renovate buildings in order to be sustainable, efficient and environmentally friendly. Likewise because these are able to guarantee and maintain over time the performance offered thanks to the opportunities offered by home automation and Building Automation Systems and Information Technologies