My ideal is to carry out building works on old houses without compromising the healthy notions according to which they were originally constructed. With this in mind, right from the planning stages we must carefully evaluate the use of materials and construction techniques according to the type of intervention to be done. We will select long-lasting materials of low or zero environmental impact, and we will consider such factors as the eventual disposal of waste materials, whether the raw materials are renewable or recycled, and energy consumption. With the use of various organic products and materials, we also keep in mind requirements for stability, safety, fire risk, energy saving and comfort. Generally speaking, houses nowadays are ever more hermetically sealed, thanks to the use of double-glazed windows and insulation materials, and paints or sealants that envelop the entire building and prevent the walls from breathing and from allowing absorption and evaporation. As a consequence, pollution inside houses can reach the same levels as those associated with direct exposure to chemicals. To resolve such problems it is necessary to situate the conception of the building in a more human and ecological context, using healthy and natural products and materials.

List of building products and materials

Iron: Used in construction of loadbearing structures, such as reinforced concrete, door and window lintels, roof beams, etc. Should be used only if indispensable, as it produces electromagnetic pollution.

Cement: Mainly used for plastering, bricklaying of all types, concrete, screeds, foundations etc. Often has chemicals added to it that are harmful to human health, including aerators, plasticizers, retardants, fluidificants, etc. Does not have insulating capacities, absorbs and retains humidity. To be used in its pure state and in moderation where strictly necessary.

Plaster: A natural, harmless material, meaning that its use is advisable. Mainly used for plastering internal walls and ceilings, and in plasterboard panels for internal walls and dividers.

Wood: The most natural product of all, provided it has not been treated with toxic substances; before use it needs to be worked by machine or by hand. It can be used for loadbearing structures such as beams in ceilings, roofs and floors; for foundations on poles or columns etc; and for final works such as flooring, internal walls, insulation, coverings, gates, fences and furniture. Wood is easy to work, does not produce residues damaging to health, is easily recycled, is weather-resistant, and provides excellent thermal and acoustic insulation.

Lime (Calce): Derives exclusively from natural products. Quicklime is obtained from limestone heated to approximately 900ºC in special furnaces, which is then cooled quickly by adding water: this product is used for finishing off internal plastering. Calce idraulica is obtained, again, from limestone but contains a higher percentage of clay; with its capacity to breathe, absorb moisture and insulate it is used for plastering and as an alternative to cement in bricklaying.

Stone: Derived from excavations in quarries authorized by various state or regional bodies. After going through various processes stone is available in various forms suitable for a variety of uses, from walls to drainage to cladding and floors. The use of stone reclaimed from old buildings is to be preferred.

Cork: Obtained from the bark of the cork oak, this is a sustainable material. Compressed into panels, used as a soundproofer and valued for its natural resistance to fire, damp, mould and parasites.

Expanded clay (argilla expansa): A natural product obtained by baking clay at high temperatures: extremely light in relation to its volume it is used in fire-resistant bricks, for insulation and in areas where weight is an issue.

Clay (terra cruda): A natural product used in construction throughout history, used today in a mix with sand and/or straw, and water, for plaster and non-loadbearing walls.

Baked clay (argilla cotta): Bricks made from various types of clay and water, left to dry naturally and then baked in special high-temperature furnaces.

Linseed oil: Produced by crushing linseeds, this natural oil is used for the treatment of wood, terracotta and stone.

Wax: Derived from beeswax or from linseed oil or other natural oils. Used for the treatment of terracotta, wood and stone, and especially in the restoration of old furniture.

ENERGY AND HEAT FROM THE SUN

With modern technologies we can use the sun to heat and to light our home, whether this be an old or a new building. Saving on the high cost of petrol or gas products we can at the same time reduce pollution.

There are two broad ways to use the sun’s energy: for the production of heat (solar thermal) and for the production of electricity (photovoltaic). Thermal panels transform more than 70% of the sun’s rays into useable heat – hot water (see diagram 1). Photovoltaic panels produce convert the sun’s rays into electricity (see diagram 2) and are installed as an array of panels on south-facing roofs or on the ground. Government incentives are available for the installation of both types of solar installations.

ENERGIA E CALORE DEL SOLE .

Con le moderne tecnologie e con il sole possiamo riscaldare ed illuminare la casa, sia essa nuova e non. Ormai è tempo di approfittare delle innovazioni, le risorse tradizionali, come gas, petrolio e derivati, sono sempre più limitate e di conseguenza costose. Risparmiare sui costi significa anche contribuire a ridurre l’inquinamento.

In genere esistono due tipologie d’uso dell’energia solare: impianti per la produzione di calore ed impianti per la produzione di corrente elettrica. Gli impianti solari termici, trasformano in calore oltre il 70% dei raggi solari.

L’impianto termico solare, come sopra rappresentato, per una ulteriore economicità, oltre alla caldaia a gas funzionante automaticamente nei mesi più freddi dell’inverno in assenza del sole, è consigliabile integrarlo con un caminetto o stufa a legna/pelletts. In sintesi l’impianto si compone da un pannello solare, da una centralina solare, da una centralina di comando pompe, da una caldaia a gas,da un caminetto a legna o stufa a legna/pelletts e da un accumulatore di acqua calda da quì ripartita per alimentare : 1 - l’impianto di riscaldamento, che potrà essere a radiatori tradizionali od a pavimento e/o parete. 2 – l’impianto dell’acqua sanitaria necessario per il servizio igienico e cucina.

L’impianto per la produzione di energia elettrica o fotovoltaico, trasforma la luce solare in energia elettrica, questo impianto può trasformare fino ad un massimo del 15% i raggi del sole in energia elettrica.

Generalmente viene utilizzato come integrazione e supporto alla normale rete elettrica. Solo in casi particolari esempio: rifugi montani e case estremamente isolate, ove l’allaccio alla rete elettrica risulterebbe troppo costosa o impossibile, l’impianto viene utilizzato senza l’integrazione della rete elettrica ( detto sistema isolato ), in questo caso necessitano potenti accumulatori per far fronte a periodi di minore disponibilità di energia solare.

L’impianto fotovoltaico, come sopra rappresentato, si compone da un insieme di moduli fotovoltaici che producono energia, da un convertitore o inverter che trasforma corrente continua in corrente alternata, da un regolatore di carica, batterie di accumulo, cavi ed altri accessori elettrici.

Questi impianti sono caratterizzati da: affidabilità poiché privi di parti meccaniche in movimento, silenziosità, ridotta manutenzione, non emettono sostanze nocive per la salute ed abbattono naturalmente le spese per l’energia elettrica.

ENERGIA DEL VENTO

Meno importante dell’energia solare è l’energia del vento che viene trasformata in energia elettrica per mezzo di generatori eolici più o meno grandi situati in luoghi preventivamente scelti, ove l’azione del vento risulta più continua ed intensa. Privatamente gli impianti eolici vengono realizzati per la ricarica delle batterie di imbarcazioni, mezzi mobili, per piccole case isolate dalla rete, piccoli impianti professionali di illuminazione, illuminazione esterna di giardini e cortili ed altro di minore importanza. Questi piccoli impianti sono affidabili, silenziosi e di facile montaggio. Nel disegno n. 3 è riportato lo schema dell’impianto ed i principali componenti dello stesso.