Agro-industrial Buildings Research Articles

Ammasso Silo Characterization and Repurposing

Italy built its ammasso silo network in the 1930s for two purposes: to stockpile grain and to symbolize fascist power. Much of the network was destroyed in World War II, and over half of the silos still standing are now disused and in disrepair. These structures should be protected and refurbished because they are part of Italy’s historic and agro-industrial heritage and because reusing existing buildings instead of constructing new ones reduces the carbon footprint. To evaluate silo repurposing potential, a method developed for inventorying Spanish silos was adapted and applied to the 30 remaining ammasso silos. The method explores the general features, construction, equipment, and socioeconomic environment of each silo. All extant ammasso silos have machinery for receiving, storing, and dispatching grain, and most have equipment for cleaning, sorting, weighing, and packaging. Vertical-cell silos are challenging to convert, unlike horizontally-oriented silos and other open-plan agro-industrial buildings. Even so, some have already been made over into shops, leisure areas, museums, and even homes. Examples of silo reuse in other countries, such as Spain and Portugal, can offer further useful insights. However, socio-economic indicators suggest that silo repurposing projects are viable only in large population centres.

The Origin and Architectural and Technological Characteristics and Opportunities for the Reuse of Portugal’s EPAC Silo Network

Portugal’s EPAC (Empresa Pública do Abastecimiento dos Cereais) silo network, initially planned in the 1930s but constructed and utilised primarily in the 1970s, consisted of 31 silos with a total capacity of 841,100 t. The network’s usage declined, however, due to market liberalisation and Portugal’s accession to the European Economic Community in 1985. This study focuses on adapting a methodology to inventory and analyse the 31 silos in the EPAC network, considering their general features, construction, technological facilities, and socioeconomic aspects. The silos are situated in 30 cities and towns, predominantly in the country’s key grain-growing regions, particularly the Alentejo region. While there are variations in design and construction, most EPAC silos contain two or three rows of circular reinforced concrete cells and use the spaces between cells for storage. Their capacities range from 6000 to 35,000 t. Some are inland grain reception and storage silos, while others are larger-capacity port silos designed to unload grain rapidly onto ships using mechanical or pneumatic unloaders. These structures are a significant part of Portugal’s agro-industrial heritage and have, in some cases, been repurposed as museums or event venues. Compared to other agro-industrial buildings, silos pose unique conversion challenges due to their height and design complexities. Examples of successful reuse in countries like Spain and Italy may provide insights for potential silo projects in Portugal. However, analysis suggests that such proposals and similar initiatives may be viable only in the more highly populated towns.

New Uses for Traditional Buildings: The Olive Oil Mills of the Karpas Peninsula, Cyprus

ABSTRACTTraditional agro-industrial buildings in rural areas reflect the way of life of past communities and their dependence on agriculture. Although conservation is critical for the transfer of knowledge about past generations and in sustaining community identity and development, many of these building types worldwide are threatened by dereliction due to the emergence of new technologies that cannot be housed in the old buildings. This study suggests that their reuse for tourism purposes, especially in countries of limited resources and opportunities, can help rural development by attracting both people and investment. The claim is exemplified by the case of traditional olive oil mills in Cyprus, which are considered significant elements of the rural landscape. The research focuses on the Karpas Peninsula, where the majority of traditional olive mills are either derelict or in poor condition, though where some have already been destroyed. A brief literature review of industrial heritage and alternative tourism forms the basis for the evaluation of the case study. The research highlights the significance of olives and olive oil for the Cypriot community, and discusses the current social and economic dynamics of the Karpas Peninsula through an examination of the potential of 18 traditional olive mills. The study suggests the reuse of traditional olive mills through alternative tourism and the development of thematic heritage routes.

Reusing Pruning Residues for Thermal Energy Production: A Mobile App to Match Biomass Availability with the Heating Energy Balance of Agro-Industrial Buildings

Using the pruning residues of woody crops can be beneficial in many ways (e.g., excellent energy balance, a net reduction in pollutant emission and a positive contribution to global warming control). This article describes the background work and development of a new support tool that will allow the user to know the amount and quality of pruning residue required to meet the energy requirements to heat both residential and agro-industrial buildings (e.g., greenhouses). Knowing the average amount of pruned biomass (t d.m. ha−1), the average lower heating value of wood (4.00 kWh kg−1) and the average efficiency of a woody biomass boiler (90%) enabled the overall available net energy yearly amount (kWh year−1) to be determined. This was compared to the overall energy requirements (kWh year−1) of agro-industrial buildings, which are a result of their main features (e.g., maximum heatable surface, building energy classification and the climatic zone). Depending on user needs, the tool suggests the amount of required biomass and, if not entirely available, what amount of fossil fuels are required to fulfill the energy requirement. The algorithm output was compared with the results of two case studies carried out on seven farm buildings and nine greenhouses. Knowing the amount and energy potential of the available biomass allows for planning and evaluation of the planned benefits.

Assessment of basement constructions in the winery industry

Every year the wine sector moves billions of euros around the world. The tendency over the last decades has been to use aboveground constructions but this leads to higher costs to provide appropriate environmental conditions. This study evaluates the possibility of using the basement of agro-industrial buildings as a way to age and preserve wine. To do this, four basement constructions and one semi-basement construction, which belong to commercial wineries in Spain, have been studied for several years. Results show that interior environmental conditions present much greater stability than exterior conditions (70% annual temperature variation reduction and 98% daily variation reduction). The temperature and relative humidity of the internal air keep conditions adequate for the ageing and preservation of the wine without the necessity for air conditioning systems. It has been demonstrated that there are vertical temperature differences varying over the year which should be strongly considered by producers. The lower thermal inertia and the higher exposure to the exterior environment of the semi-basement construction lead to higher temperatures in spring and summer. These temperatures exceeded acceptable levels for wine and lasted for numerous weeks at a time. Having carried out this study we recommend the basement constructions for the ageing and preservation of wine or agro-food products which require similar conditions.

A meta-design approach to agroindustrial buildings: A case study for typical Italian wine productions

The study is part of a wider research aiming at defining building design criteria for small and medium-sized wine-growing and producing farms. The goal of this paper is to work out and validate a specific meta-design process, suitable to lead to the definition of possible layout solutions optimized in terms of functional requirements. The production process has been resolved into two macro-phases, in their turn composed of sections consisting of various series of operations and functions. The in-depth analyses performed on the spatial requirement of these operations and functions allowed to define the functional areas and spatial units suitable for building design. Finally, their functional and spatial relations were analysed through flow charts and matrix approach. The results allowed us to outline examples of possible layout solutions.

The role of historical agro-industrial buildings in the study of rural territory

Industrial archaeology, thoroughly widespread in extra-urban environments, has shown to be of significant importance to analyse the transformation of the rural territory, as well as recognise the value of these constructions, meant both in truly architectonic and landscape terms, and as historical testimonies to the social and economic evolution of farming societies between the 19th and the 20th centuries. The strict relationship between territorial development and the presence of these buildings is dealt with in this paper by analysing the land cover use, the crop productivity and the demographic historical changes. All these aspects are at the same time the cause and effect of the original agro- industrial use of these structures and of the new destination choices. In this light, this paper tackles the knowledge and cataloguing of a sample of historical agro-industrial constructions situated in two provinces of southern Italy, in the region of Puglia, to propose suitable ways of integrally recovering and reusing them, demonstrating how the social, economic and territorial link could be already maintained even if a new use were proposed.

Methods for documenting historical agro-industrial buildings: a comparative study and a simple photogrammetric method

As an important element in the cultural heritage of a people, traditional rural constructions need to be conserved over time. Graphic and metric documentation methods play a key role in the preservation of cultural heritage. In this paper different existing methods of graphic and metric documentation are analysed in order to select the most suitable for the documentation of agro-industrial buildings according to their characteristics. The selected one is a simple close-range photogrammetry method, which is affordable and easy to understand for non experts. It is based on the use of plumb lines, a conventional digital camera and monoscopic restitution. The application of the method is illustrated in a particular case consisting on the graphic and metric documentation of a windmill. Also the accuracy of the method is evaluated in this particular case.

Low-cost documentation of traditional agro-industrial buildings by close-range photogrammetry

Traditional agro-industrial buildings are an important part of the heritage of Galicia (northwest of Spain), but these buildings are now in danger of disappearing. In order to preserve it, an exhaustive and rigorous work of documentation should be undertaken, as well as other actions. This paper is about the graphic and metric documentation put together by the authors in relation to a group of traditional farm buildings in Galicia. We used a method based on close-range photogrammetry techniques. The method is simple, cheap and accessible to the layperson. The tools we used were low-cost conventional cameras, plumb lines and monoscopic digital photogrammetric stations. The accuracy of our method compared to topographic methods proved satisfactory, although it must be borne in mind that the type of building surveyed is not particularly tall.

Documentation for the Preservation of Traditional agro-industrial buildings in N.W. Spain using simple close range photogrammetry

Documentation for the Preservation of Traditional agro-industrial buildings in N.W. Spain using simple close range photogrammetry

Documentation for the Preservation of Traditional agro-industrial buildings in N.W. Spain using simple close range photogrammetry

Traditional agro-industrial buildings are an important part of the heritage of the Autonomous Region of Galicia (Northwest of Spain). Such heritage is nowadays in danger of disappearing. In order to preserve it, an exhaustive and rigorous work of documentation should be undertaken, as well as other actions.This paper shows the works of graphic and metric documentation undertaken by the authors with regards to a group of traditional agro-industrial buildings in Galicia. We used a method within the scope of close-range photogrammetry techniques (simple methods). The method is simple, cheap and accessible to people without specialised knowledge. The material used comprises low-cost conventional cameras, plumb lines and monoscopic digital photogrammetric stations. The accuracy of this method, assessed in comparison with topographic methods, turned out to be satisfactory for this type of buildings, for the most part of low height.

Analysis of the materials and exterior texture of agro-industrial buildings: a photo-analytical approach to landscape integration

The visual and aesthetic aspects of any object are defined by its colour, form, line and texture. To these, might be added compositional reference elements such as scale and, in the case of three-dimensional scenes, spatial character. This paper investigates ‘texture’, allowing the designer to analyse visual elements in terms of the properties that define them. ‘Texture’ is defined by its regularity, density, internal contrast and grain size. The proposed approach studies the relationship between buildings and their background. The approach includes computer analysis of landscape images, public preferences for integration of agro-industrial buildings and a special table for systematic application of the process. It is hoped that this approach will help professional designers to select appropriate building textures in order to harmonize architecture and the surrounding.

Analysis of the exterior colour of agroindustrial buildings: a computer aided approach to landscape integration

The visual and aesthetic aspects of any object are defined by its colour, form, line and texture, to which might be added compositional reference elements such as scale and, in the case of three dimensional scenes, spatial character. This paper investigates one of these colour and proposes a method for predicting the value of a building's integration into the landscape. Based on psychological aspects, the method uses computers to analyse and measure the pertinent attributes. The designer can analyse visual elements in terms of the properties that define them. For example, colour, the subject of this paper, is defined by its hue, saturation and lightness. Tables are proposed to study the relationship between buildings and their background using computers. This paper offers a tool, based on the digital examination of scenes and on people's integration preferences with respect to agroindustrial buildings, which it is hoped will help project designers select appropriate colour schemes.

Introduction to a methodology of reutilization of agricultural industry. Advantages in rural development

Archaeological industry not only includes machinery but also the buildings. We center this work in agricultural constructions and agro-industrial buildings which are the testimony of the many changes rural landscape undergoes, making it possible for us to proceed through them. In this paper a scheme of the methodology for the reutilization of agroindustrial buildings is brought for consideration, beginning with the cataloguing phase. Generally this methodology is very similar as for the reutilization of the different agricultural constructions. We understand that one of our active supports of the Spanish rural wealth is the constructive Heritage. A correct exploitation of these resources will help, no doubt, to an accurate rural development.