GREAT BOOKS FOR A GREAT COUNTRY

by Massimiliano Fanni Canelles

Over the millennium, Italy was the scene of 30,000 earthquakes. These have caused 120,000 victims in the last century and damage to 100 billion euro’s in the last 40 years. The high seismic risk of a large part of the national territory (45% of Italy), among the highest in Europe, however, it depends not only on frequency and intensity of earthquakes, but also by the vulnerability of buildings in most regions of historical importance and artistic, but with no guarantees of resistance from an earthquake. A situation that would have required a long time a correct classification of the area (only recently defined and completed) and adequate legislation on common rules in seismically unsafe. Only on 14 September 2005, with severe delays on dozens of past seismic events, in the name of the 27 children died in the tragic collapse of the school of San Giuliano of Puglia, was launched the decree defines "technical standards for construction in seismic areas. Finally, the legislature sets the rules for the safety of old buildings and new buildings in the towns at risk. But, with all-Italian style, from that moment began the transitional phases, extensions, referrals who postpone the entry into force of the law, the last of them in February 2009, which refers to the whole in July 2010.

Extensions which, fortunately, excluding strategic buildings such as schools and hospitals, but that, given what happened in Aquila, however, have not been implemented or, at least, have not been met. Currently only 14% of buildings in seismic zone appears built with safety criteria and now started to implement in new construction rule of 20 years would still 82% of homes insecure. It is therefore necessary to intervene as soon as possible, not only on new buildings in design, but also on the structures and ancient monuments. It is true that the cost of interventions in order to secure the Italian heritage could be around 200 billion euro’s, but it is also true that all the technical and economic analysis indicate that intervening before the earthquake we would make savings of at least 40 -- 50% compared to the costs of a seismic event, not counting the number of lives in this manner would be saved. Moreover, as highlighted in the "House Plan" of government investment in this sense may function as a boost to a market, building and not in severe crisis. So, given the possibility of enabling legislation to harmonize the timing, procedures, capital and control in public for the so-called "Great Works" as the Bridge on the close, divert attention and funding on the part of a "Great Work of prevention" like that mitigate the risk of earthquake Italian, could be the real solution for the future of Italy and its citizens.

 Translated by Martina Delser