A Disastrous Case Study: How Replacing Windows Alone Can Lead to Mold

Example of mold - photo by Damiano Chiarini.

In our previous articles, we have cautioned that an energy retrofit should be approached with an integrated, whole-building approach, and by a professional with experience in calculating and simulating thermal envelopes. The photos below show what happened to one family’s home when they decided to do an independent partial energy retrofit, without consulting a qualified professional. In this case, they decided to replace the old windows of their house with newer, high performance windows, hoping that they would be able to reduce their energy consumption.

What does a Passive House look like?

Casa Passiva a Parma di Ghillani

After you’ve done your research, evaluated your options, and settled on passive design as a valid and worthy goal for your dream home, you usually arrive at this very important question: “But what will my passive house look like?!” The possibilities are limitless! Almost. Why almost?

Passive house: new construction or renovation?

passivhaus_section_en

In our blog, we are dedicating a large number of articles to deep energy retrofits, on one hand, and Passive Houses on the other. However, these two topics are not necessarily distinct from one another: here, we explain why.

Mold and condensation problems

Example of mold - photo by Damiano Chiarini.

Mold and condensation on the interior surfaces of a house’s thermal envelope is a self-evident proof of poor quality and lack of comfort. It can happen on walls, roof, slabs and so on. These phenomena are symptoms of degrading building quality, and have immediate direct consequences on indoor air quality, health of the occupants and the overall comfort inside the house.

Students from Boston Architectural College visit to discuss sustainability in Reggio Emilia

BAC visit - Emu Architetti-001

Last Thursday we had the pleasure of hosting a group of students from Boston Architectural College for a day of site visits and discussions about the ways in which modern and sustainable construction techniques are making their way into the traditional setting of rural Italy.

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