C.I.A.O. STUDIO

Passive Design

   Environmental and building orientation was considered to allow a passive design strategy. To maximize the efficiency of the building envelope, the roof was insulated, and all windows were replaced from their original single-pane glass to modern high-efficiency double-pane glass. The 50-cm historic stone and brick walls provide a significant thermal mass for retention of heating and cooling.   

Heating & Cooling

  The mechanical system was replaced with a gas-fired high-efficiency dual-output tankless water heater for handling heating and domestic hot water separately. The 3rd level is supplied by its own tankless unit because of its intermittent use. The total mechanical strategy included the provision for future solar and wind-powered energy.   

   A formal cooling system is not required because of the temperate climate, thermal mass, wind exposure, and landscape shading.   

Energy Consumption & Production

  The 3200 square-foot house utilizes approximately 1650 kWh of electricity a year or 4.58 kWh a day. This very low consumption is because all lighting is LED and the appliances are high efficiency. Another difference in Europe is that clothes dryers are not typical so energy is saved using centrifuge clothes washers combined with clotheslines. The greatest consumption of energy is gas supplied for heating and domestic hot water. The development of a new barn with a 24 square meter solar thermal array on the roof will supply the majority of the required heating for the complex. A small photovoltaic array and whole-house battery will complement the community resources which provide electrical power via large land-based solar arrays.  

Water & Septic System

   The facility is in a community with high-quality community mountain water and septic.   Garden/Green Space: Deep in the agricultural area of Italy, the C.I.A.O Studio is located on a fully functioning farm. With a 60 tree olive orchard, 5 acres of animal feed, chickens, 8 fruit tree species, 2 nut tree species, and a vegetable garden that provides produce for a summer program of 6-12 people. The crops requiring additional water are drip irrigated. This fertile land allows for the inhabitants to greatly reduce their dependence on food transported to the site. The high quantity of plant life also reduces soil deterioration and runoff while regulating relative humidity and keeping climate fluctuations at the microscale to a minimum.