11 October 2018

Everyone feels responsible for the ecological changes our planet is undergoing in recent decades. We are increasingly sensitized to this issue. The new houses are all in energy class A, but many now are opting for passive house, i.e. without heating and cooling systems, but only powered by renewable energy sources. A 185 square meters detached, in Bollate (Milan), has recently been made passive standard, but with a "Mediterranean" style: it bears the signature of BLM Domus. Characterized by modern architecture that remains in shades of white and grey, the house has a technological heart that beats inside the wooden structure, very resistant material with thermal and physical quality aseismic recognized that vouches for the thermal and acoustic insulation. The house has three floors, from the basement where there is the tavern with fireplace, a bathroom and a laundry with technical installations. The ground floor is divided into living area, rooms and facilities, all in an airy. There is a steel and wood staircase leading to the upstairs rooms. In this house all the free heat are maxed out, produced by a household appliance in operation, from the people who live in the house or from the sun. A plant in air-water heat pump is responsible for heating in winter but also of lower temperatures in summer.

Where does the PassivHaus come from? The idea comes from Germany and it is a solution designed to provide thermal comfort without traditional plants. It is called "passive" because heat inputs are passive, i.e. due to sun and heat generated from household appliances and by tenants themselves. To be called "passive", an house must comply with the parameters of the standard defined by the Passivhaus Institut in Darmstadt in Germany, a region where temperatures are colder on average. For this reason we speak now of " Mediterranean passive": in Italy there is a mildest climate, so technological facilities are dimensioned according to the place and the surrounding environment, to avoid wasting energy. “We are proud of this project and happy with the result” – says Marco Bevilacqua, technical director of BLM Domus – “The house in Bollate is proof that “passive house” is no longer a concept for a small 'elite' environmental fanatics. Thanks to our experience, together with the adoption of cutting-edge methodologies, we have been able to build a passive house with a financial investment comparable to that of a class A building.”

Carlo Bardelli