Methods and techniques for sustainable urban Living: between seismic vulnerability and urban sustainability

In recent years sustainability has conquered the cultural debate, challenging the architectural and urban design processes, and asking for the right choice of materials and technologies. The definition of sustainability can be elusive and difficult to frame in a univocal theoretical apparatus, but we cannot ignore a universal awareness on the impact that our lifestyle can have on future generations. This contribution proposes a reflection on technical regulations and strategic planning tools, to be updated in order to ensure a certain degree of sustainability and liveability. This ambition can be achieved improving the performance of buildings and public spaces according to the understanding of users’ behaviours. The contribution explores liveability in relation to the safety of buildings and the sustainability of public spaces and suggests innovative and holistic toolkits to monitor, read and interpret, the built environment and for- mulate relevant answers to the ever-changing and very specific requests of the contemporary urban living.