I must confess, sustainable renovation was new to me, when I started to work with Green Pearls^®. Here I came across sustainable rebuilding measures and eco-friendly architecture for the first time. Though green architecture is not a daily issue in contrary to cosmetics, food and clothes, but not less relevant. Some of our partners know a lot more about environmentally friendly renovations than me and this knowledge we like to share with you in our series “renovated sustainably”. In the first part we introduce the vegan Bio-Agrivilla i pini, a listed villa in Tuscany.

Tribute to long gone time

The villa was built during the High Renaissance in the early 16^th century. During the renovation the focus of the whole team was to maintain the original structure and the historical character of the building. Besides, most important was to use only natural raw materials to create a healthy atmosphere in the small hotel. Wherever regional and natural materials were used to avoid long transportation routes and keep the authentic look. Handmade terracotta tiles and antique, restored pieces of furniture provide for a homey atmosphere. In the dining room you even find the noble, home Carrara marble. However, sustainable renovations still enclose so much more than this.

Good climate – outside and inside 

From the outside rustic stone walls form the antique facade, inside you’ll find smooths natural walls in tender tones having an interesting inner life: Lime, loam and bio-rice are the substance of the listed walls. Would you have guessed?  The big advantage of organic building materials like these is a very good climate and humidity regulation which provide for „breathing walls “. Even the roof of the Agrivilla i pini is insulated with materials from ecological cultivation. For the insulation mucky stone, lime, hemp and rice shell were used.

Architecture meets biology  

As model project for sustainable architecture the Bio-Agrivilla reached a milestone at the end of 2017 with another renovation: under the strict guidelines of the architecture biology “bioedilizia” i pini exposed the walls made of tuff stone and plastered them eco-friendly with lime-rice chaff. This “bioedilizia” certified procedure guarantees the lowest impact on the environment and health of the guests. Of course, all renovation measures and used materials are vegan at the Bio-Agrivilla – as well as the ideology of the hotel itself.

Are you as surprised about the many possibilities to renovate a listed villa as I am? Maybe you get inspired for your own a house or renovation.