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From medieval walls to 21st-century efficiency

In the heart of a medieval hilltop village in northern Italy, a centuries-old town house has been transformed into a modern, energy-efficient home—without compromising its historic charm. Learn about both the technical challenges and innovative solutions behind sustainable renovation in heritage settings.

28 May, 2025

Preserving history in Tagliolo Monferrato

Nestled in the rolling hills of Piedmont, Tagliolo Monferrato is a picturesque medieval village in the province of Alessandria. Its narrow cobbled streets, ancient castle, and vine-covered slopes offer a timeless atmosphere. In this setting, a 17th-century house was the subject of an ambitious energy retrofit.

A complex challenge: modern comfort in historic walls

The apartment, located on the ground floor of the historic building, posed several challenges. The facade is protected and could not be altered—ruling out external insulation. Complicating matters further, the perimeter walls lie below street level, leading to chronic problems with rising damp, crumbling plaster, and persistent mold. Yet, the owners were clear: they wanted a high-performance, low-energy home with full air conditioning, all while preserving the building's historic character.

Smart solutions: mineral insulation and geothermal integration

To address these complex conditions, the design team, led by engineer Marco Arata, chose Multipor mineral panels for internal insulation. With a career dedicated to sustainable architecture, Marco Arata has been designing low-energy buildings since 2007 and specifically designed the implementation of Multipor M3 and M4, known for their breathability, durability, and compatibility with historic masonry.

A geothermal pre-temperature system was also installed to further enhance energy performance, allowing the internal climate to be maintained efficiently year-round. This led to a CasaClima R certification—an impressive achievement for a building of this age. The apartment also achieved nZEB (Nearly Zero Energy Building) status and was classified as energy class A4, the highest rating in Italy’s energy scale. Learn more about CasaClima certification here.

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