Two Railway Station Projects in Italy Earn Envision Silver Awards
12-April-2024
ICMQ, ISI’s partner in Italy, has announced that two railway stations along the Adriatic Coast have earned Envision Silver awards in recognition of their sustainable redevelopment efforts. These two projects represent one half of the four total pilot projects chosen by Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI), the owner of Italy’s railway network, to be certified using the Envision framework and rating system for sustainable infrastructure. The RFI team chose to use the Envision framework to better orient all project stakeholders toward a perspective that incorporates historical, environmental, social, and economic sustainability throughout the planning, design, and implementation of these renovation projects.
The renovation of the Cattolica Railway Station, located near the historic center of Cattolica, Italy, will allow it play a progressively more central role in the community. Instead of serving only as a transit area, it will now provide better amenities for pedestrians and other visitors, as well as an improved connection to the local city park. The front courtyard will offer more green space, irrigated by a new rainwater storage tank system, and space will be dedicated for electric vehicle charging stations and a new Velo Station to encourage alternative transportation. The renovation will utilize sustainable building materials, and photovoltaic panels will be installed on the new shelters to generate energy on site.
The Pesaro Railway Station, the main station in the Italian province of Pesaro-Urbino, is strategically located near the seaside, the city park, and the city’s historic center. This location allows the station to serve as one of the main gateways into Pesaro, which has been recognized as the Italian Capital of Culture for 2024. The renovation of this station will improve integration with the surrounding community through more connected roadways and greater access to alternative transportation options, like bicycles. It also represents part of a larger effort to integrate two parts of the city, which are currently divided by the bundle of railway tracks. The railway station building, shelters, underpass, and platforms will be upgraded to facilitate more functional passenger services, and the outdoor areas will be enhanced to promote better access and improved safety, livability, and attractiveness. The project team has also planned to optimize water and energy consumption, as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions, throughout the development and lifespan of the project. This station will serve as the hub of an integrated and sustainable “Mobility as a Service” (Maas) system, becoming a key part of the urban framework and enhancing Pesaro’s quality of life and commercial appeal.
These innovative railway station renovations represent environmental, social, and economic sustainability improvements that will create better access to the stations and improved integration with the surrounding communities, while reducing vehicular traffic and enhancing quality of life for the local neighborhoods.
