The conservation and adaptation of historic buildings in high-altitude environments presents unique challenges, particularly in integrating renewable energy solutions for energy self-sufficiency. The study focuses on the restoration of Monte Fontana Secca and Col de Spadaròt, a 150-hectare alpine farmstead located on the Monte Grappa Massif (Belluno, Italy), and owned by the Fondo per l’Ambiente Italiano ETS (FAI). The site is a typical alpine pasture, without connections to water, electricity, or sewage systems. The intervention aims to revitalize the pasture, reintroduce cattle farming, and restore cheese production. From 2025, the farmstead will open to the public as an educational center dedicated to mountain agriculture and pastoralism, with overnight accommodations. To ensure the site’s energy and water self-sufficiency, the project incorporates local RES and traditional techniques to minimize water and electricity consumption. Active solar systems using copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) photovoltaic panels are installed on the buildings’ roofs to meet electrical and thermal needs. For water, historical pits (pose) used by herders are restored, and new systems like rainwater harvesting from roofs are implemented. The study outlines the complexity of executing this work at high altitude, detailing the stages of architectural and systems design and construction. The project highlights how combining RES with traditional practices can create low environmental impact and self-sufficient buildings.
Renewable Energy and Self-sufficiency in High-Altitude Alpine Historic Farmstead: A Design Workflow for Optimizing Solar and Water
Elena Lucchi
2026-01-01
Abstract
The conservation and adaptation of historic buildings in high-altitude environments presents unique challenges, particularly in integrating renewable energy solutions for energy self-sufficiency. The study focuses on the restoration of Monte Fontana Secca and Col de Spadaròt, a 150-hectare alpine farmstead located on the Monte Grappa Massif (Belluno, Italy), and owned by the Fondo per l’Ambiente Italiano ETS (FAI). The site is a typical alpine pasture, without connections to water, electricity, or sewage systems. The intervention aims to revitalize the pasture, reintroduce cattle farming, and restore cheese production. From 2025, the farmstead will open to the public as an educational center dedicated to mountain agriculture and pastoralism, with overnight accommodations. To ensure the site’s energy and water self-sufficiency, the project incorporates local RES and traditional techniques to minimize water and electricity consumption. Active solar systems using copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) photovoltaic panels are installed on the buildings’ roofs to meet electrical and thermal needs. For water, historical pits (pose) used by herders are restored, and new systems like rainwater harvesting from roofs are implemented. The study outlines the complexity of executing this work at high altitude, detailing the stages of architectural and systems design and construction. The project highlights how combining RES with traditional practices can create low environmental impact and self-sufficient buildings.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
