La certificazione volontaria della sostenibilità nel processo di restauro e l’evoluzione del quadro normativo nazionale.

The concept of sustainability and restoration results from a critical attribution of value and the subsequent need to allow future generations to enjoy what has been considered as valuable and appreciated. From this perspective, it is necessary to renounce to a strictly economic and short-term-vision on what it is considered as valuable and foster a wider and longer-term-vision. The ‘operational’ moment of restoration represents the only culturally-sustainable possible action, facing the pre-existing material evidence, to which a ‘cultural value’ has been critically recognized. However, even though restoration is the only possible action to achieve a cultural sustainability, it is not the only possible action on a pre-existing construction. The assessment of the sustainability level of a design process should take into consideration the multiple potential aspects, although the actual restoration process must focus on the culturally sustainable action. This goal is achievable by using tools and methods pertaining to the context of buildings sustainability and GBC Historic Building®, a LEED®-based rating system for the voluntary certification of historic buildings’ preservation, fulfils this need by defining requirements to be met and by suggesting approaches to demonstrate performance achievement. In this context the adoption of the Environmental Minimum Criteria by the Ministry of Environment create a binding legal framework that must be integrated as an integral part of voluntary certification systems.