The size of the pilot neighborhood in Chivasso is about 153.000 square meter and consists of approximately 90 buildings, belonging to the residential, retail & hospitality, office, commercial and educational sectors. Predominantly, they have been constructed in mid-20th century, with some older newer post-2000 additions. Buildings are conceived following the typical northern Italian architectural style of that period: mixed-use blocks with residential above and retail/restaurant at ground level, low-rise masonry buildings, tiled roofs and internal courtyards.
The big square of Piazza d’Armi occupies a big portion of the overall pilot neighborhood and it suffers a lot the extreme temperatures and consequently, the heat island effect. Furthermore, the area is located closed to the Po River and the attention to flood events must be very focused on this climate hazard also because Chivasso has suffered two devastating floods in 1994 and in 2000.
The Municipality of Chivasso is currently engaged in the revision of the city General Urban Plan dated 2004 and, in the meantime, it is also elaborating the SEA – Strategic Environmental Assessment. The pilot action foresees the introduction, in those strategic documents, pf the risk assessment due to climate change and of course, the adaptation strategies and measures related to the risks identified for the city. In particular, for the Piazza d’Armi neighborhood, through a decision-making process, the optimal measures to increase the level of adaptation and resiliency of the area will be identified and implemented. Specific adaptation measures will be developed for extreme heat, heavy precipitations, floods and drought climate risks.
The specific adaptation measures developed for extreme heat, heavy precipitations, floods and drought climate risks, which mostly affect the Chivasso Piazza d’Armi area, will allow the municipality to improve its resilience to climate change, ensuring a more liveable and adapted context for the inhabitants and living beings.