Head of Unit
Professor Simona Colajanni
Architect, Associate Professor in the SSD ICAR/10 – Technical Architecture. She is a member of the Academic Board of the PhD program in Architecture, Arts, and Planning at the University of Palermo. He serves as the coordinator for the Sustainable Architecture and Design: Human-Centered Approach track. She is the Delegate for Scientific Laboratories at the Department of Architecture, overseeing third-party research activities. Additionally, he coordinates the Palermo research unit within the PRIN 2022 PNRR project titled GREENWORK. Her research focuses on sustainable design, the development of advanced technological systems for passive environmental comfort enhancement, and bio-based materials derived from Sicilian agri-food waste.

PhD Tiziana Campisi
PhD in “Building Engineering: Design and Restoration”, she is an Associate Professor of Technical Architecture at the Department of Architecture, University of Palermo. She serves as Deputy Coordinator of the five-year degree program in Building Engineering-Architecture (c.u, LM4) and the Master’s degree program in “Architecture for the Sustainable Design of the Existing Built Environment” (LM4, two-year program). She was also the Track Coordinator for the PhD program in Architecture, Arts, and Planning, within the Architectural Design, Theory, and Technology curriculum. She teaches “Techniques for the Sustainable Restoration of the Existing Built Heritage” and “Restoration and Conservation Projects” in master’s degree courses in Architecture and Engineering. Her research focuses on the study of building typologies, materials, and traditional architecture techniques in the Mediterranean area. She has authored approximately 175 publications, including monographs, contributions to collective volumes, A-class journals, and national and international conference proceedings. Active in national and international research groups, she has been a member and scientific coordinator of research projects, including EU-funded projects, and has served as a thesis supervisor and member of scientific and editorial committees for national and international journals.

PhD Antonella D’Amico
PhD in Psychology, she is an Associate Professor of Developmental and Educational Psychology at the Department of Psychological, Pedagogical, Physical Exercise, and Training Sciences at the University of Palermo. She has been teaching Psychology for many years in undergraduate, graduate, and PhD programs. She has participated in numerous interdisciplinary projects and conducted research on emotional intelligence, learning, and artificial intelligence, publishing books, measurement tools, and scientific articles.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0474-3381.

Professor Calogero Vinci
Associate Professor of Technical Architecture at the Department of Architecture, University of Palermo, he teaches “Technical Architecture” and “Materials and Techniques of the Existing Built Heritage” in the Master’s Degree Program in Architecture and the Bachelor’s Degree Program in Civil Engineering. His research primarily focuses on existing built heritage, with particular attention to material characterization, construction techniques, and sustainable rehabilitation. More specifically, his work involves experimental analysis and strategies for improving energy efficiency while preserving the architectural identity of historical buildings. Currently, he is also conducting in-depth research on construction analysis, deterioration and structural failures, valorization, and sustainable accessibility of underground built heritage (UBH), integrating ICT technologies for conservation and public engagement.

Professor Rossella Corrao
Architect and PhD in Building Engineering: Design and Construction Techniques, she is a Full Professor of Technical Architecture (CEAR08/A) at the Department of Architecture, University of Palermo. She teaches “Technical Architecture and Technological Innovation,” “Technical Design of Components for Space Design,” and “Green Systems Laboratory for Urban Environmental Sustainability” in the degree programs in Building Systems Engineering, Industrial Design, and Landscape Architecture. Her research focuses on the impact of technological advancements in the construction sector, particularly on sustainable, translucent, and energy-active building envelopes, as well as the use of vegetation to enhance microclimate and indoor/outdoor comfort. She also explores new materials and technologies for improving facade performance. She was the UNIPA coordinator for the project “iHERITAGE: ICT Mediterranean Platform for UNESCO Cultural Heritage,” funded by the ENI CBC MED 2014-2020 Program. She co-founded and served as CEO of “SBskin. Smart Building Skin”, an academic spin-off of the University of Palermo. She has authored several books and scientific articles published in national and international journals and conference proceedings. Additionally, she is a co-inventor of multiple internationally registered patents, focusing on energy-efficient glass blocks and an innovative dry-assembly system for translucent, precompressed, and energy-active panels capable of harnessing solar power.

Professor Elisabetta Di Stefano
Full Professor of Aesthetics at the University of Palermo, she specializes in everyday and environmental aesthetics, focusing on the transformation of spaces to enhance beauty, well-being, and care. Her studies investigate how green and sustainable interventions can improve aesthetic experiences in public spaces, particularly in learning and working environments, by incorporating qualitative parameters related to aesthetic perception and users’ sense of belonging. Her research highlights how sustainable design can create more welcoming, stimulating, and inclusive atmospheres, fostering collective well-being and environmental care.

Dr. Maria A. Ragusa
A molecular biologist at the University of Palermo, she possesses the expertise to assess and monitor ecosystem health and evaluate the positive effects of greening interventions. Molecular and microbiological tests conducted on soil generate data that enhance our ability to efficiently predict or detect early warning signs of critical or beneficial ecological changes and help identify the most effective greening strategies. Biological experimental trials are currently being carried out in her laboratory at UNIPA.

Professor Mariantonietta Ruggieri
Associate Professor of Statistics (STAT-01/A) at the Department of Economic, Business, and Statistical Sciences of the University of Palermo, she teaches Multivariate and Computational Statistics in the Statistics for Data Analysis program and Statistics in the Tourism, Territories, and Enterprises program. Her recent research focuses primarily on environmental data analysis, air quality measurement and modeling, well-being and quality of life indicators, and tools for measuring Emotional Intelligence. As a member of the National Research Project (PRIN) “Green-work: an interdisciplinary enhancement based on greening strategies on buildings and open spaces,” she coordinated the survey “Greening Strategies for the Redevelopment of Buildings, Areas, and Spaces at the UNIPA Campus.” This study aimed to identify campus areas and buildings for greening interventions, improving the environmental quality and the well-being of students, faculty, and staff. The analysis involved a wide range of campus users and was presented at seminars and workshops, with results to be published. Currently, within the same project, she is working on the development of thematic indicators that consider technical, economic, and regulatory constraints, as well as social and environmental impacts, for the creation of a “Transformability Index.” This index aims to assess the feasibility of greening solutions that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also functional, sustainable, and beneficial for both the environment and the community.

EURO-PhD Manfredi Saeli
EURO-PhD, engineer and architect, he is a Researcher (RTDB) in Technical Architecture at the Department of Architecture, University of Palermo. His research focuses primarily on material and construction characteristics, technological systems in architecture, and sustainability and innovation criteria aimed at enhancing the quality of the built environment while promoting resource circularity.