The Most Demanding Part of the House

A house that promises tranquillity must do one thing above all: function seamlessly in the background. Most of what went into the restoration therefore lies hidden beneath walls, beneath plaster and on the roof – where you would rarely think to look.

Instead of conventional photovoltaics, our roof features a hybrid PVT system: the very same modules that generate electricity also capture heat, which we then harness for the house. One roof, double the yield – and because the excess heat is drawn away, the modules operate even more efficiently in summer than standard solar panels.

Rather than being sold, our surplus electricity is kept right here: immersion heaters convert it into hot water, while our battery storage carries the remainder through the night. And if there is still a surplus after that, it goes towards heating the panorama pool.

When the water is heated, when the battery charges and when the cars at the charging point take their turn: a load-management system makes these decisions continuously and shifts consumption to periods when the sun is shining. You will notice none of it, except that everything runs smoothly.

Before any system can do its job, the building envelope must be sealed. The historic building has therefore been fully insulated and the windows are triple-glazed. The automatic shades lower before the sun warms the rooms; you need do nothing and will usually not even notice it.

Cooling comes from a highly efficient central system rather than twenty-two individual units. This saves energy and, above all, eliminates noise: there is no outdoor unit switching on outside your window at night.

The park is the house’s largest room – and its thirstiest. It is irrigated from underground cisterns that collect pure rainwater. Drinking water should be kept for drinking.

Nothing, if all goes well. You arrive and there are no keys to carry: a code or your card opens the door. The suite remembers your preferred temperature, the light follows the time of day. That is the whole point of the effort: a quiet house.