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The present study aims to analyse the land market trend with particular reference to the main typologies of crop in Sicily (1992-2010). More specifically, after examining the trend in agricultural land average prices, both in current and constant terms, the dynamic formulation of Shift and Share Analysis (DSSA) was carried out, in order to check the growth gap between the average prices in the Sicilian provinces and the correspondent regional ones over the period, and trying to identify its causes also on the basis of the relationship between land values and the agro-food markets dynamics in the investigated period. The analysis of average land values shows a positive trend in current terms, but a steady erosion in constant values. The application of DSSA highlights that the average land values expressed in current prices have a positive market dynamics (except for the province of Palermo), but lower than the overall regional trend, whereas Agrigento and Ragusa growth rates are higher than the regional one. On the contrary, the analysis in real terms shows a heavily erosive dynamics of provincial average prices which is more marked than the overall regional one, with the exception of Agrigento where the negative growth rate is lower than the overall trend. The analysis also measured the growth differential between the dynamics of the average values for each crop typology and the overall regional trend. More specifically, the study pointed out the dichotomy characterising the Sicilian land market in the period 1992-2010: on the one hand, the positive data of arable and horticultural crops and, to a lesser extent, permanent grassland due to a good structural framework capable of absorbing the shortcomings at local level, on the other hand, negative growth differential recorded for tree crops, due almost exclusively to substantial structural weaknesses.

The research moves from the current global and local context and from shared development strategies. From the observation and the analysis of contemporary environmental and energy issues and redefined directions of growth of human activity, it is addressing the question of environmental sustainability and energy conservation of building hospital systems. The work has developed a field survey relating the specific topic of energy saving and efficiency of the Park Hospital in the Italian Lombardy Region. This has been articulated in a diagnosis of technology and efficiency of regional hospitals, implemented through a census, and in a subsequent identification of interventional cases, in order to show its economic, environmental and health performance of the energy efficiency consumption and the environmentally sound.

The paper reports the results of the experimental activities carried out within a Nationa Research Project to evaluate the agronomic, envoronmental and energy sustainability of the biomass production by no-food crops irrigated with different kinds of treated wastewater. Four different research units monitored the same four main herbaceous species. physical and chemical analyses were carried out on wastewater samples. Bio-agronomical analysis on the species placed on fields were made with the goal to evaluate the main parameters sich as the productivity and the heating values. The analysis of the combustion efficiency, the amount of ash, and the environmental impact of the combustion residual was executed ina small boiler. The results highlight attractive biomass yield and an interesting crop energy capability by using treated wastewater for irrigation.

Multiple factors influence individuals' health status. Their impact is difficult to quantify as it is their interaction. Aim of the current work is to develop guidelines to support designers to promote health in the residential environment and to apply them through an evaluation system to certify the level of health performance.Politecnico di Milano, in collaboration with the Local Health Authorities of Milan and Empoli through analysis of needs performance and numerous multidisciplinary meetings, has produced a design guide (Healthy Design Guide - HeDe) and an evaluation system to certify the level of health performance. This system was tested on the Milan metropolitan area.The experiment was carried out on a sample of 30 private residences, with an overall floor area ranging between 90 and 150 square meters, new or recently renovated.The tool works but at the same time it also shows that too often design choices are made for aesthetic or economic reasons rather than a real need for health and wellness.It is becoming increasingly important to strengthen synergies and multidisciplinary collaborations to achieve shared performance indications and to make a systematic review of the regulatory tools to protect public health.

Introduction The momentum towards the green economy; strongly focused on innovation; highlights the urgent need to anticipate the new and emerging health and safety risks in green jobs with a view to ensuring adequate; safe and healthy working conditions. The present study has conducted a survey among relevant stakeholders; social partners; institutions and green companies to collect their perceptions of potential effects of green jobs on occupational health and safety; with particular regard to the renewable energy sector. Methods An online questionnaire posted on the "Research Activity" section of the INAIL website was used to conduct the survey. It involved a sample of 61 stakeholders including institutions (11); trade unions (11); employers associations (13); companies (11); research (15). Questionnaire results have been uploaded to a database in Microsoft Excel format and analysed using SPSS version 16.0 for Windows. Results Most of respondents claim that the green transition poses new risks that can be managed with current risk management procedures (38;2% of responses) or think that renewables entail the same types of risks as other forms of energy but new risk management procedures are required (27;3% of responses). As regards the occupational health and safety risks associated with the production of sustainable energy sources; this study shows that wind; photovoltaic and solar thermal energy (41;2%) entail low health and safety risks. Medium risks have been identified in geothermal (47;1%); hydro power (44;1%) and biomass (38;2%). Discussion This study provides an objective analysis of green experts' perception of emerging and poorly investigated issues concerning the potential implications of green technologies in the field of occupational health and safety. The poor perception of workers' health and safety protection brought to light by the survey is due to a delay of the Italian political; scientific and industrial world in the assessment of potential risks for workers' health and safety posed by the introduction of new green technologies.