Building Services Upgrading for Farmhouses and Residential Properties
Spike Renewables operates in the design and refurbishment of building services systems serving farmhouses, historic villas, and high-end residential properties, with particular focus on Tuscan rural buildings subject to architectural, landscape, and environmental constraints. Over the years, the interventions developed have included both full renovations and progressive energy retrofits, with the aim of improving comfort, efficiency, and sustainability while preserving the original character of the buildings.
Design approach and architectural integration
Farmhouses and historic villas feature specific construction characteristics, such as stone masonry, traditional floor structures, timber roofs, and layouts distributed over multiple levels. Spike Renewables addresses these contexts with an integrated building services approach, in which technological solutions are adapted to existing geometries and coordinated with the architectural design, limiting invasive works and ensuring the reversibility of installations. Design is always preceded by detailed thermo-energy analyses, assessment of heat losses on a room-by-room basis, and evaluation of seasonal loads, in order to size systems in line with the actual needs of the building.
Heating, cooling, and comfort distribution systems
A significant portion of the interventions involved the installation of high-efficiency heating and cooling systems based on flexible hydronic solutions. The configurations adopted include two-pipe fan coil systems, underfloor radiant heating systems, and, where required, integration with air terminals for summer latent load control. In large buildings or articulated rural complexes, centralized systems with zone substations were designed, capable of ensuring independent control of different areas and high operational reliability.
Boiler rooms, chiller plants, and domestic hot water production
Projects often involved the construction or complete refurbishment of boiler and chiller plants, with diversified solutions depending on the context and availability of utility networks. Systems developed include LPG gas boiler plants, biomass systems for non-methanized buildings, air-to-water heat pumps, and hybrid systems, with the integration of thermal storage tanks for domestic hot water production. In many cases, plants were designed to serve multiple buildings within the same property, using buried distribution networks and centralized control logic.
Renewable energy sources and energy sustainability
A distinctive feature of the interventions is the integration of renewable energy sources, in compliance with landscape protection constraints. Adopted solutions include solar thermal systems for domestic hot water production and swimming pool heating, photovoltaic systems integrated into roofs or installed on dedicated structures, and biomass systems supplied by local supply chains. In some projects, complex energy systems were developed, including biomass district heating, renewable electricity generation, and rainwater harvesting, following an approach aimed at energy self-sufficiency and emission reduction.
Water supply, drainage, and wastewater treatment systems
The design of plumbing systems and drainage networks plays a central role in rural buildings, which are often not connected to public infrastructure. Spike Renewables developed water plants with storage, pressurization, and water treatment, rainwater recovery systems for non-potable uses, and wastewater treatment solutions through constructed wetlands or biological treatment. These systems were sized according to equivalent inhabitants and seasonal usage conditions, ensuring reliability and low operating costs.
Electrical systems and special systems
Interventions included the full design of electrical and special systems, from main switchboards to internal distribution, with particular attention to safety, protection selectivity, and integration with mechanical systems. External lighting systems, gate automation, intrusion detection systems, data cabling, and provisions for future expansions were also implemented, always in compliance with the architectural and landscape context.
Energy retrofit
Spike Renewables has also operated in the field of energy retrofitting, supporting interventions aimed at improving the performance of historic buildings through generator replacement, roof insulation, and the installation of new high-efficiency systems. Activities included energy analyses, energy class upgrade assessments, system design, and preparation of technical certifications, enabling the achievement of high energy performance classes while preserving the architectural identity of the properties.