Integrated Design of low-energy houses in Selvino, Italy

In 2007, the “passive house” concepts were applied at the construction of 16 houses in Selvino (Bergamo). This small mountain village was designed with the aim of minimizing the energy consumption. Using a holistic design process characterized by the integration of architectural and technological choices the ambitious target of 30 kWh/m2a was reached. Passive strategies are used to keep the indoor comfort: high insulating layers (a combination of traditional and thin insulation layers); high winter solar gains; small window area in the north façade with high performance; large opening and conservatory space in the south façade. Mechanical systems and PV panels were designed to exploit as much as possible the renewable energy sources, thus limiting CO2 emissions. In particular, the mechanical system is composed as following: solar photovoltaic panels installed on the south-facing roof; electrical radiant floor heating system; high efficiency electric boiler; mechanical ventilation with heat recovery. This paper wants to show a practical example of a holistic design process integrating architectural, technological and energetic issues; the result is a low-energy building with a contemporary architecture that suites perfectly to the specific context.