Habitable surfaces
The Health Ministerial Decree 5 July 1975 provides one minimum surface area of 28 square meters for a studio apartment, for one personincluding services and a surface area not less than 38 square meters, if for two people.
Currently, one must be insured for each inhabitant living area of no less than 14 square metresfor the first 4 inhabitants, and others 10 square meters, for each of the following. Additionally, bedrooms must have a minimum surface area of 9 square metresif for a person and of 14 square meters, if for two people. The Ministerial Decree also provides that each accommodation must be equipped with a living room of at least 14 square meters.
The proposal is to lower the minimum requirements. Salvini declared, during an interview with Radio Anch'Io: «Many students already live in today 20 square meter houses. From my point of view, the hygiene regulation of the 70s which limits the habitable surface and the maximum height of the ceilings must be overcome”.
Minimum heights
According to the 1975 Ministerial Decree, theminimum useful internal height of rooms used as dwellings is fixed in 2.70 meters reducible to 2.40 metres for corridors, hallways in general, bathrooms, toilets and closets. In mountain municipalities above 1000 m above sea level, a reduction in theminimum height of habitable rooms of 2.55 metres.
We remind you that the only exceptions currently foreseen are, within the already existing and documented limits, for i living spaces in buildings located in mountain communities subjected to building recovery and improvement of health and hygiene characteristics when the building has typological characteristics specific places worthy of conservation and provided that the request for exemption is accompanied by a renovation project with alternative solutions aimed at guaranteeing, however, in relation to the number of occupants, suitable hygienic-sanitary conditions of the accommodation, which can be achieved by providing a greater surface area of the accommodation and habitable rooms or the possibility of a adequate natural ventilation favored by the size and type of windows, by transversal air feedback and by the use of auxiliary natural ventilation means.
Salvini announced that the Lega group will immediately work on the amendments, with the aim of modify the habitability parametersincluding the reduction of the minimum surface area and the height of the ceilings. “I'm thinking about the height of the ceilings, I'm thinking about the reduction of the minimum surface area for habitability, I'm thinking about the Save Milan rule”declared the minister.
Air lighting reports
All rooms in the accommodation, except those intended for toilets, hallways, corridors, stairwells and closets must benefit from direct natural lighting, suitable for the intended use. This is foreseen by the Ministerial Decree of 1975 where it is also indicated that for each living room, the width of the window must be proportionate in order to ensure a average daylight factor value of not less than 2% and in any case the opening window surface it must not be less than 1/8 of the floor surface.
When the typological characteristics of the accommodation give rise to conditions that do not allow the benefit of natural ventilationyou must resort to centralized mechanical ventilation introducing appropriately captured air with suitable hygienic requirements.
It must then be ensured, in any case,aspiration of fumes, vapors and fumes at the points of production (kitchens, toilets, etc.) before they spread. The “cooking place”possibly attached to the living room, must communicate widely with the latter and must be adequately equipped with a forced extraction system on the stove.
There bathroom must be equipped with an opening to the outside for air exchange or equipped with a mechanical extraction system. In bathrooms without openings to the outside, the installation of open flame appliances is prohibited.
For each accommodation, at least one bathroom must be equipped with the following sanitary facilities: toilet, bidet, bathtub or shower, sink.
Salvini proposes to overcome these limits by making Attics and basements are also habitablewhich they often suffer from lack of light and insufficient heights.
Amendments are coming
To fully understand the impact of Minister Salvini's proposals, it will be necessary to wait for the amendments which will be presented in Parliament.
If approved, they could represent a revolution in the Italian real estate sector, offering new opportunities for owners and buyers of small homes. The discussion has only just begun and it will be interesting to follow developments in the coming months.
