A new 100% solar powered residence has opened in the South Tyrol in the old village of Fistì at Pedraces.  The Residence Rosarela (www.rosarela.com) was built by Christine Dalleaste and Ulrich Foppa and has been awarded a “casa clima AAA” classification (basically the more A’s there are, the lower the energy consumption). 

Constructed mostly from local wood but using the latest techniques to minimize internal heat loss, it is of tradition design outside but power is produced by a 95m² installation of photovoltaic solar panels on the roof of the adjacent hay-loft which produces sufficient energy to cover the needs of the entire building.

Veronica adds “We often hear less about environmental developments in Italy so it is great to learn about this development which is a great combination of traditional architecture with cutting edge technology”

Two buildings in Zermatt have received the coveted Solar Prize 2010 for new buildings.

The Solar-Restaurant that opened in the winter season 2008/09 on the south flank of the Matterhorn glacier paradise fulfils all the requirements of the Minergie-P standard thanks to its optimised construction.

In this high alpine location use of solar energy is a must. For this reason the entire southern façade consists of integrated photovoltaic panels. Thanks to the clear air and radiation reflected from the surrounding area, solar installations in high alpine areas are up to 80 percent more productive than comparable systems at lower altitudes. The photovoltaic system provides all the electrical energy needed for heating and ventilation. Any excess produced is fed into the electricity network of Zermatt Bergbahnen AG and used when needed. At the same time the façade functions as a thermal air collector: Cold air from the outside is heated behind the photovoltaic cells and then used to preheat the air flowing into the restaurant and rooms – this reduces the heating energy requirement.   Waste water is also collected, purified in a microbiological water treatment system and then used for toilet flushing. Unused water, once purified, flows into the natural water cycle of the surroundings.

The other prize winning building is the new Monte Rosa Cabin of the Swiss Alpine Club, with 120 beds and shower facilities has a self-sufficiency rate for energy of around 64%, with an accommodation standard that had not been achieved before now.

Veronica notes “It’s great to see that Zermatt is taking positive steps in terms of its built environment and these examples show that energy saving measures can be equally applied to new builds or retrofitted to existing buildings.   Responsible Skiing is about minimizing resource consumption and using renewable where possible – and solar is really a good solution in the mountains.”