Description
Nestled in the beautiful hills of central Tuscany, a short walk from San Gimignano and Volterra, this prestigious property overlooks an exceptionally unspoiled landscape. It is adjacent to the exclusive Castelfalfi Golf Club. The complex consists of three units for a total of 700 square meters. His 8-hectare farm includes 6 hectares of organic olive groves (Bio certified) and an orchard. A harmonious garden designed by a famous landscape architect surrounds the villa and a breathtaking infinity pool with mother-of-pearl mosaic stands on the edge of the hill. The current owner took almost 3 years (2009-2011) to completely renovate the property to the highest and modern standards.
The restructuring focused in particular on the following aspects:
- Uncompromising respect for Tuscan heritage;
- Implementation of eco-friendly technologies;
- Minimization of operating costs;
- Maximizing automation (user friendly home with minimal maintenance and human involvement);
In addition, the renovation paid particular attention to some aspects of the modernization of an old Tuscan farm:
Treat the surface foundations of the building. In the past, building a solid and deep foundation was a secondary priority, as survival and the return on investment in the short term were the farmer's main concerns;
Manage the humidity of the ascent. As cattle occupied ground level, rising humidity was not considered a health issue at the time.
Tackling soil erosion. Most of the Tuscan soil consists of clay, which, if not properly modeled, erodes significantly during heavy rains.
UNCOMPROMISING RESPECT OF TUSCAN HERITAGE
The renovation employed only skilled local labor and proven artistic experience for the restoration of all visible details, such as masonry and painting. In addition, the reconstruction of all the ceilings complied with the original construction techniques, that is, with brick vaults in the former stables, and with flat bricks (cooked) and chestnut wood beams in other areas.
RENOVATION DETAILS
"Concept "Zero Footprint
The all-electric system of the property discards the use of fossil energy. To minimize operating costs and balance energy consumption, a solar power plant was built on site that produces more than 30 kilowatts per year. This, combined with advanced green technologies, has given this property the coveted certificate of energy performance "A".
Examples of green technologies implemented are:
- Closed-circuit vertical geothermal system (600 m of drilling), combined with high-yield redundant heat pumps, to heat/cool buildings;
- Heating/cooling in the shape of a floor pyramid;
- Double-flow ventilation in all units;
- Insulation in thick wood fiber panels;
- Advanced ventilated roof (13 different layers, including Gore-Tex);
- Polarized windows with low emissivity;
- LED lamps for all heavily lit areas.
In practice, the combination of these technologies allows for a comfortable indoor air
