PAESAGGI E INFRASTRUTTURE: PROBLEMI DI IMPATTO VISIVO PER LE NUOVE TECNOLOGIE FOTOVOLTAICHE

The inclusion of new technological systems, to adaptat historic buildings to the contemporary needs, often faces difficulties related to visual impact problems. It is a question which involves in particular old town centers, in most cases protected for their scenic value rather than monumental, or as portions of landscape to be safeguarded as a whole. In this sense, the primary aspect to be analyzed is the aesthetic-visual one, whose basic component is ???perception???, not as a visual phenomenon but as a result of a cultural elaboration of sensory data through the aesthetic parameters of the time. The Italian government has provided strong incentives to promote the photovoltaic technology, but at the same time, about 40% of Italian territory is covered by landscape restrictions: the inclusion of such infrastructures, even in protected contexts, it may become inevitable. At present, the lack of adequate tools for analyzing and evaluating the impact produced by infrastructures on landscape, has lead local governments to prohibit the installation of photovoltaic systems in large areas. In parallel, we note that the decree D.L. 387/2003 classifies interventions according to criteria of technical and structural integration, without any other limitation related to aesthetic and visual aspects. In order to overcome some of the existing absolute bans, we propose an excerpt of a landscape impact assessment in Perugia, in which there is a total ban on installation of solar panels in the old town center. An analysis of aesthetic and visual aspects, scientifically conducted in situ, shows the most significant views taken from the surrounding area; we have identified those areas in which the traditional tiled roofs may be suitable to install photovoltaic systems, whose presence would not alter the general architectural and landscape aspect because never visible from the most significant optical cones in the surrounding.