Semi-basements used as dwellings: hygienic considerations and analysis of the regulations.
Current housing shortage in Italy is forcing a growing number of individuals to use as living environment spaces that were originally devoted to other purposes. Among such spaces, semi-basements hold a particular relevance because of their specific characteristics and their effects on human health. The authors analyse the relatively scarce legislation about this topic at both national and regional level. The local Building Codes of the ten most populous cities of Italy are reviewed, assessing whether the use of semi-basements as living spaces is allowed and, if so, which restrictions and requirements are imposed. The authors conclude that, on one hand, further research is strongly needed to estimate the amount of exposed population and their health risk, on the other the existing legislation on the topic is often discretionary and deeply unhomogeneous across the country.
Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, "G. d'Annunzio" University, Chieti, Italy.
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Capasso
Department of Architecture, "G. d'Annunzio" University, Chieti, Italy.
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Basti
Service of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health, ASL Lanciano-Vasto-Chieti, Italy.
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Savino
Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, "G. d'Annunzio" University, Chieti, Italy.
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Flacco
Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, "G. d'Annunzio" University, Chieti, Italy.
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Manzoli
Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
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D'Alessandro
D001108:Architecture; D006798:Housing / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D012307:Risk Factors