Dr. Chiara Catalano

Personal profile

Position at the ZHAW

Scientific Collaborator (Researcher)
Urban Ecosystems Research Area
Research Group Green Spaces Development

www.zhaw.ch/iunr/gruenraum

Expertise and research interests

Architectural Design - Urban Ecology - Vegetation Analysis

Educational background

2017 PhD, Title of the dissertation: "Biodiverse green roofs in Mediterranean climate input and lessons learned from Germany and Switzerland"
2013-2017, PhD student in Technologies for Sustainability and Land Restoration - Università degli Studi di Palermo - Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Forestali, Italy
2012, Master of second level in Eco engineering and Land Restoration, Università degli studi di Palermo, Dipartimento di Scienze Naturali Fisiche e Matematiche, Italy
2008, Master in Architecture (Urban Planning, Building Design and Restoration), Università degli studi di Catania, Italy
2000, High School in Science, Math, Phisics and Informatics specialisation, Catania, Italy

Professional milestones

2017 till present, Employed as Researcher at ZHAW
2014-2016, Employed as Assistant Researcher (Doktorandin) at ZHAW
2010-2011, Assistant Architect by Studiodeda eco-engineering office in Catania (Italy)
2009, Assistant Architect by ecologicStudio London (England)
2005-2008, Internship by Studiodeda eco-engineering office in Catania (Italy)

Membership of networks

Research Gate

Projects

• Förderung der Biodiversität auf Flächen des Strassenbegleitgrüns durch innovative maschinelle Pflegemassnahmen / Deputy project leader / Project ongoing
• Development of the #Bestandsplatine#: A Common Data Environment as Design and Decision Supporting Tool / Project leader / Project ongoing
• Urbanes Vegetationsmonitoring in der Stadt Wädenswil / Team member / Project ongoing
• Pilotphase Evaluation Grünstadt Schweiz / Team member / Project ongoing
• DeMo. Urban Ecosystems Design and Modelling: A spatial based approach to integrate habitats in constructed ecosystems / Project co-leader / Project completed
• Mission B - Development of Research Lab on Roof / Deputy project leader / Project completed
• Fokus Biodiversität / Team member / Project completed
• Biochar in greenroof substrates / Deputy project leader / Project completed
• More than hay / Project leader / Project completed
• Dachbegrünung Sporthalle St. Jakob, Basel / Team member / Project completed
• Begrünung Orchideen Universitätsspital Basel / Team member / Project completed
• Dachbegrünung Projekt LoBOS Pratteln, Zurlindengrube / Team member / Project completed
• SMART?Roofs / Team member / Project completed
• Up on the roof! / Team member / Project completed
• Versuchsdachbegrünung, Ökologische Ausgleichsfläche Einkaufszentrum Telli, Aarau / Team member / Project completed

Publications

• Catalano, Chiara; Balducci, Andrea,

  2022.

  Environmental analysis and ecosystemic design : survey, critical issues and application solutions.

  AGATHÓN : International Journal of Architecture, Art and Design.

  11, pp. 246-257.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.19229/2464-9309/11222022

• Bergauer, Miro; Dembicz, Iwona; Boch, Steffen; Willner, Wolfgang; Babbi, Manuel; Blank-Pachlatko, Jonathan; Catalano, Chiara; Cykowska-Marzencka, Beata; Gehler, Jamyra; Guarino, Riccardo; Keller, Sabrina; Moysiyenko, Ivan; Vynokurov, Denys; Widmer, Stefan; Dengler, Jürgen,

  2022.

  Scale-dependent patterns and drivers of vascular plant, bryophyte and lichen diversity in dry grasslands of the Swiss inneralpine valleys.

  Alpine Botany.

  132(2), pp. 195-209.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00035-022-00285-y

• Dengler, Jürgen; Cykowska-Marzencka, Beata; Seiler, Hallie; Catalano, Chiara; Dolnik, Christian; Guarino, Riccardo; Indermaur, Alexander; Pasta, Salvatore; Putfarken, Dorothee; Riedel, Susanne; Shyriaieva, Dariia; Vynokurov, Denys; Dembicz, Iwona,

  2022.

  Vegetation diversity in the Swiss Alps : impressions from the 16th EDGG Field Workshop.

  Palaearctic Grasslands.

  (52), pp. 87-102.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21570/EDGG.PG.52.87-102

• Catalano, Chiara; Meslec, Mihaela; Boileau, Jules; Guarino, Riccardo; Aurich, Isabella; Baumann, Nathalie; Chartier, Frédéric; Dalix, Pascale; Deramond, Sophie; Laube, Patrick; Lee, Angela Ka Ki; Ochsner, Pascal; Pasturel, Marine; Soret, Marie; Moulherat, Sylvain,

  2021.

  Smart sustainable cities of the new millennium : towards design for nature.

  Circular Economy and Sustainability.

  1(3), pp. 1053-1086.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-021-00100-6

• Dengler, Jürgen; Guarino, Riccardo; Moysiyenko, Ivan; Vynokurov, Denys; Boch, Steffen; Cykowska-Marzencka, Beata; Babbi, Manuel; Catalano, Chiara; Eggenberg, Stefan; Gehler, Jamyra; Monigatti, Martina; Pachlatko, Jonathan; Riedel, Susanne; Willner, Wolfgang; Dembicz, Iwona,

  2020.

  On the trails of Josias Braun-Blanquet II : first results from the 12th EDGG Field Workshop studying the dry grasslands of the inneralpine dry valleys of Switzerland.

  Palaearctic Grasslands.

  (45), pp. 59-88.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21570/EDGG.PG.45.59-88

• Catalano, Chiara; Laudicina, Vito Armando; Badalucco, Luigi; Guarino, Riccardo,

  2018.

  Some European green roof norms and guidelines through the lens of biodiversity : do ecoregions and plant traits also matter?.

  Ecological Engineering.

  115, pp. 15-26.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2018.01.006

• Catalano, Chiara; Marcenò, Corrado; Laudicina, Vito Armando; Guarino, Riccardo,

  2016.

  Thirty years unmanaged green roofs : ecological research and design implications.

  Landscape and Urban Planning.

  149, pp. 11-19.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2016.01.003

• Catalano, Chiara; Andreucci, Maria Beatrice; Guarino, Riccardo; Bretzel, Francesca; Leone, Manfredi; Pasta, Salvatore, eds.,

  2021.

  Urban services to ecosystems : green infrastructure benefits from the landscape to the urban scale.

  1st edition.

  Cham:

  Springer.

  Future City ; 17.

  ISBN 978-3-030-75928-5.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-75929-2

• Catalano, Chiara; Pasta, Salvatore; Guarino, Riccardo,

  2021.

  A plant sociological procedure for the ecological design and enhancement of urban green infrastructure

  .

  In:

  Catalano, Chiara; Andreucci, Maria Beatrice; Guarino, Riccardo; Bretzel, Francesca; Leone, Manfredi; Pasta, Salvatore, eds.,

  Urban Services to Ecosystems.

  Cham:

  Springer.

  pp. 31-60.

  Future City ; 17.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-75929-2_3

• Baumann, Nathalie; Catalano, Chiara; Pasta, Salvatore,

  2021.

  Improving extensive green roofs for endangered ground-nesting birds

  .

  In:

  Catalano, Chiara; Andreucci, Maria Beatrice; Guarino, Riccardo; Bretzel, Francesca; Leone, Manfredi; Pasta, Salvatore, eds.,

  Urban Services to Ecosystems.

  Cham:

  Springer Nature.

  pp. 13-29.

  Future City.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-75929-2_2

• Pasta, Salvatore; Catalano, Chiara; Bretzel, Francesca; Guarino, Riccardo,

  2022.

  Achievements, flaws, and future goals of scientific research on green roofs in Mediterranean cities : first feedback from ongoing meta-analysis [paper].

  In:

  Ecocity World Summit 2021-22 Conference Proceedings.

  14th Ecocity World Summit, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 22-24 February 2022.

  Oakland:

  Ecocity Builders.

  pp. 313-323.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-26681

• Durrer, Brenda; Perritaz, Edmée; Catalano, Chiara,

  2022.

  Designing for biodiversity : conceptualization of a sustainable building envelope for a single-family house in Switzerland [paper].

  In:

  Ecocity World Summit 2021-22 Conference Proceedings.

  14th Ecocity World Summit, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 22-24 February 2022.

  Oakland:

  Ecocity Builders.

  pp. 157-169.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-26682

• Catalano, Chiara; Meslec, Mihaela,

  2022.

  Wenn sich die Biodiversität im Hochbau durchsetzt : digitale Instrumente und Methoden für eine nachhaltige Immobilienentwicklung.

  IUNR Magazin.

  2022(1), pp. 26-27.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-25072

• Catalano, Chiara,

  2018.

  Ecological design to shape new urbanities

  [review of Ruddick, M., 2016. Wild by design : strategies for creating life-enhancing landscapes. 243 pp., ISBN 978-1-61091-598-4; Riley, A.L., 2016. Restoring neighborhood streams : planning, design, and construction. 288 pp., ISBN 978-1-61091-740-7].

  Conservation Biology.

  32(3), pp. 752-754.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13072

• Catalano, Chiara; Baumann, Nathalie,

  2017.

  Biosolar roofs : a symbiosis between biodiverse green roofs and renewable energy.

  Citygreen.

  2017(15), pp. 42-49.

• Haritz, Candida; Gaggini, Luca; Babbi, Manuel; Catalano, Chiara; Donati, Franca; Meier, Sybille; Krüsi, Bertil O.; Patocchi, Nicola,

  2017.

  Monitoraggi floristici alle Bolle di Magadino (Cantone Ticino, Svizzera) : modifiche vegetazionali delle associazioni palustri aperte su substrato sabbioso (località Piattone) : confronto tra il 1992 e il 2015.

  Bollettino della Società Ticinese di Scienze Naturali.

  105, pp. 39-51.

  Available from: http://tectel.services/dbook/Museo_Scienze_Naturali/Bollettino_STSN/Bollettino_STSN_2017-Vol._105/Index_Pc.html#p=41

• Catalano, Chiara; Brenneisen, Stephan; Baumann, Nathalie; Guarino, Riccardo,

  2016.

  I tetti verdi di tipo estensivo : biodiversità ad alta quota.

  Reticula.

  2016(12), pp. 1-10.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-4701

• Catalano, Chiara; Meslec, Mihaela,

  2022.

  Digital urban development targeting net-gain biodiversity goals : the DeMo Project, a holistic spatial-based framework to integrate habitats in constructed ecosystems.

  In:

  Book of Abstracts INUAS Konferenz 2022.

  INUAS Konferenz 2022 "Urbane Transformationen: Öffentliche Räume", Winterthur, Schweiz, 7.-9. November 2022.

  pp. 76-77.

  Available from: https://www.inuas.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/INUAS_BoA_220906_high.pdf

• Catalano, Chiara; Guarino, Riccardo; Brenneisen, Stephan,

  2013.

  A plant sociological approach for extensive green roofs in Mediterranean areas.

  In:

  11th Annual Green Roof & Wall Conference, San Francisco, 23-26 October 2013.

Publications before appointment at the ZHAW

Catalano, C., Aprile, S., Guarino, R. (2013). Verde pensile estensivo ad alto valore ecologico in ambiente mediterraneo: aspetti progettuali e funzionali. In Moccia F., D. (eds), Città sobria. Collana: Governo del territorio e progetto urbano - Studi e Ricerche, 7, 489-497. Edizioni Scientifiche Italiane, ISBN 978-88-495-2738-4. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.5035.7520

Other publications

Posters
- Catalano, C. (2017). Can soil-based green roofs sustain Mediterranean dry grasslands of the AU-Habitat 6220*?. Poster at COST FP1204: Nature based solutions for sustainable and resilient cities, Orvieto, 7/4.04.2017

Conference, Seminar and Workshop presentations

2017
- Catalano, C. (2017). Extensive green roofs: stepping stones for Habitat of Community Importance. Seminar "Green Roof and Biodiversity", Presentation at Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Pisa, 03.04.2017
- Catalano, C. (2017). Verde pensile estensivo ad alto valore ecologico in ambiente mediterraneo. Presentation at Vestire il Paesaggio, Pistoia. 14.06.2017
- Catalano, C. (2017). Urban stepping stones of 92/43/EEC habitats can be established on green roofs in temperate and Mediterranean cities, through the interaction of plant sociology, land restoration and ecological design. Presentation at the 60th Annual symposium of the International Association of Vegetation Science (IAVS), Parallel session green infrastructure and vegetation science. Palermo, 21.06.2017
- Catalano, C. (2017). Biodiverse green roofs in temperate and Mediterranean climate. Presentation at End of Project Seminar for the LIFE12 ENV/MT/000732, Life Med Green Roof Project, Malta. 20.07.2017
- Catalano, C. (2017). Biodiverse green roofs. Workshop with visitors from Täby Municipality (Sweeden). Presentation at Toni Areal, Zurich, 28.08.2017
- Catalano, C. (2017). Biosolar green roof: Innovation in Integrating Biodiversity with Technology. Presentation at the 4th International Skyrise Greenery Conference. Green Urbanscape Asia, Singapore 10.11.2017

2018
- Catalano, C. (2018). European Green Roof Norms and Guidelines through the lens of Biodiversity. ICIG International Green Infrastructure, SESSION 4: Nature-Based Solutions for Resilient Cities, Porto 24.05.2018
- Catalano, C. (2018). Increasing Urban Biodiversity through Greening, 70TH AIPH Annual Congress, International Green City Conference, Padova 19.09.2018

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