Waste management represents a critical issue that industrialized countries must necessarily deal with. Sustainable architecture involves the reuse of materials with the aim of significantly reducing the amount of waste produced. In this study, a new layered membrane metamaterial was developed based on three layers of a reused PVC membrane and reused metal washers attached. The membranes were fixed to a rigid support, leaving a cavity between the stacked layers. The samples were used to measure the sound absorption coefficient with an impedance tube. Different configurations were analyzed, changing the number of masses attached to each layer and the geometry of their position. These measurements were subsequently used to train a model based on artificial neural networks for the prediction of the sound absorption coefficient. This model was then used to identify the metamaterial configuration that returns the best absorption performance. The designed metamaterial behaves like an acoustic absorber even at low frequencies.

The Byzantine churches built between the 7th and the 15th centuries represent an architectural typology that has been developed along with other architectural styles. The evolution of the interior organization, to be composed of only a single nave for the oldest architecture and then developed with additional lateral naves, is one of the multiple aspects that characterizes this building type, studied mainly from an architectural perspective. The variety of roof morphology, being flat, double slope, vaulted or domed, contributes to determining the overall acoustics. This paper deals with the analysis of the acoustic characteristics related to five Byzantine churches located in Albania, specifically in Berat and Cete. A comparison of the impulse response (IR) measured inside each church was given by analyzing the most appropriate acoustic parameters and in line with ISO 3382. The acoustic surveys were undertaken with a minimal furniture and without any audience. The results highlight small difficulties in terms of speech understanding, especially under a speech clarity index found to be below the optimal range limit. This shortfall is attributed to the geometry of the volumes and to the reflecting materials applied to the surfaces that facilitate the build-up of sound energy.

Integrating the representation of the territory, through airborne remote sensing activities with hyperspectral and visible sensors, and managing complex data through dimensionality reduction for the identification of cannabis plantations, in Albania, is the focus of the research proposed by the multidisciplinary group of the Benecon University Consortium. In this study, principal components analysis (PCA) was used to remove redundant spectral information from multiband datasets. This makes it easier to identify the most prevalent spectral characteristics in most bands and those that are specific to only a few bands. The survey and airborne monitoring by hyperspectral sensors is carried out with an Itres CASI 1500 sensor owned by Benecon, characterized by a spectral range of 380–1050 nm and 288 configurable channels. The spectral configuration adopted for the research was developed specifically to maximize the spectral separability of cannabis. The ground resolution of the georeferenced cartographic data varies according to the flight planning, inserted in the aerial platform of an Italian Guardia di Finanza’s aircraft, in relation to the orography of the sites under investigation. The geodatabase, wherein the processing of hyperspectral and visible images converge, contains ancillary data such as digital aeronautical maps, digital terrain models, color orthophoto, topographic data and in any case a significant amount of data so that they can be processed synergistically. The goal is to create maps and predictive scenarios, through the application of the spectral angle mapper algorithm, of the cannabis plantations scattered throughout the area. The protocol consists of comparing the spectral data acquired with the CASI1500 airborne sensor and the spectral signature of the cannabis leaves that have been acquired in the laboratory with ASD Fieldspec PRO FR spectrometers. These scientific studies have demonstrated how it is possible to achieve ex ante control of the evolution of the phenomenon itself for monitoring the cultivation of cannabis plantations.

In the ancient Rome the shows entertained by gladiators were very numerous, due to the always growing request from the spectators. After the disuse of the amphitheaters, a wide number of philosophers, writers and poets have been experienced to say what happened in these arenas. Nowadays this type of shows represents continuous source of inspiration for different books and movies (e.g. The gladiator, Spartacus). The amphitheaters are characterized by having an elliptical plan layout, which allow to enlarge the capacity of seats other than improving the sight from the steps of the cavea. The most famous Roman amphitheater is the Colosseum with its biggest dimensions that only the capital city of the empire could have, followed by others of smaller volume size. The development of Christianism decreed the immorality of these shows while the barbaric invasions contributed to convert these places into military barracks, if they were not selected to be demolished. This paper deals with the acoustic study of the amphitheater of Avella, which has been found only a few decades ago by archaeological excavations. The geometrical characteristics are typical of other amphitheaters built in Campania during the Imperial age. An acoustic survey has been undertaken in order to understand the main acoustic parameters in accordance with ISO 3382-1, given the functionality of this place in hosting musical shows during the summer seasons. Based on historical sources and discoveries, a virtual model has been realized to represent the architectural features of how the amphitheater would be looked like originally. The model has been used for acoustic simulations by applying the absorption and scattering coefficients of the finish materials, and the results have been assessed to highlight the different acoustic perception between the existing conditions and the original shape.

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