HISTORY
Some believe that there are times in our lives when we don’t choose a place or a home to live in, but that it’s a particular place or home that chooses us...we’re not sure whether that’s true, but one thing is for sure: from the moment we first set eyes on Cà del Buio, although it had been abandoned and was destined to fall into ruins, the idea of a change we were in search of began to take shape.
And perhaps it’s not just a coincidence that the day we sat down on the stone wall and observed the building, we were expecting Cecilia, who was gradually taking shape in Rosa’s belly; that the air of this wild, overgrown place we breathed in for a few brief moments instinctively inspired a poem.
Ancient reflections
on pinkish stones
whisper through the trees
amid the shadows of the past.
Fine, glistening dust
reflected in
Cascina del Buio.
A presence that draws in
matter bound up
in a bond
where life springs wild and free.
The local area introduced us to the farmhouse even before we bought it: we encountered it captured on a large photographic panel in the splendid Finale Archaeological Museum in Finalborgo, where it was presented as an example of the rural architecture and terraced landscape typical of this strip of Liguria;
we then went in search of other images in various magazines and publications, which allowed us to see how it looked almost 100 years ago.
This was how our curiosity grew, and when we actively sought out stories and information regarding what was to become our home, we soon discovered that lots of people in the Perti and Finale areas had stories and anecdotes to tell about the place. The house had begun to guide us on a voyage of discovery through the area and its thousands of years of history, introducing us along the way to the people who have lived here and loved it…
Savour the experience: book a stay at Cà del Buio
RECOVERY AND RENOVATION
We no doubt still have a lot to learn about the history of Cà del Buio, but also thanks to the learned contribution of Prof. Giovanni Murialdo of the Finale Archaeological Museum, we know that the materials used centuries ago for its construction (exclusively pink Pietra di Finale Limestone) and the building techniques used for the various parts of the construction built over the years make it possible to date the original core to the 15th century, and the subsequent additions to between the 17th and 18th centuries.
So as soon as we bought “the stone house with the wooden roof” (as our daughter Cecilia helped us christen it!) the challenge was for the work carried out to essentially maintain the style and architecture of the old stone construction the locals were familiar with, while turning it into an energy-efficient home and B&B able to guarantee comfortable, modern living conditions.
In a word: sustainability
There were numerous aspects to consider, regarding every feature: from the construction materials and the décor to the recovery of the dry-stone walls.
We didn’t want to hide the characteristic Pietra di Finale Limestone of the structure under a layer of cladding, so we chose to insulate the building from the inside, using natural, hygroscopic materials free from harmful substances, to guarantee a healthy living environment.
Wood fibre was used for the roofs, due to its excellent performance against cold in the winter as well as heat in the summer.
To insulate the construction from the ground and ensure resistance to damp, internal excavations were carried out to allow for the installation of a crawl space; for the same purpose, and to solve the issue of water infiltration, a gap was created right around the perimeter of the building.
The building envelope was completed with double-glazed and argon-filled windows with UV protection and chestnut wood frames.
We opted for a reduced-thickness underfloor heat emission system to keep operating temperatures, and thus consumption, to a minimum.
The utility systems are completed with a controlled mechanical ventilation (CMV) system to regulate the air inside the building, maintain a healthy environment and ensure energy efficiency.
Everything runs off a high-efficiency heat pump, powered by a photovoltaic system that allows us to produce our own energy.
Extra-low-consumption lighting solutions and dusk-to-dawn-sensors have also been installed.
Water efficiency is guaranteed by flow reducers, rainwater collection systems and a phytoremediation plant.
All this was accompanied by the careful removal, treatment and re-use of the materials recovered at the construction stage, such as doors, beams, boards, terracotta roof tiles, etc.
The wooden material from the house that could no longer be used for construction purposes was given to local carpenters and craftsmen for the creation of furniture and décor elements for the B&B.
Some materials, of course, had to be purchased ex novo; we endeavoured to ensure these materials were natural, safe for health, locally sourced and with a certified supply chain. So the wood used for construction and for the door and window frames came from the forests nearby; the wood used for the flooring came from FSC-certified forests, and the natural terracotta tiles are 100% handmade in Italy.
(Visiting the kilns in Impruneta was a splendid experience!)
An important aspect we paid close attention to during the construction and décor phases was to bring on board local workers and craftsmen: smiths, carpenters, marble workers, sawmill operators, builders and others all represented the traditional local skills in this local project, and we are very grateful to them.
And how could we fail to mention the silent yet invaluable contribution of Grandpa Vincenzo?
His skilful hands helped us make so many things, not least of all the 100% green fence.
So after languishing abandoned for decades, the farmhouse was finally recovered and renovated with love.
Work began at the end of 2019 and was completed in late 2022, when the whole property was ready to move into. One part became our family home, while a second building was designed to be used for guests, and the Eco B&B Cà del Buio opened.
Cà del Buio remains a fifteenth-century building, but with the performance of a modern, sustainable, efficient home.
Following the recovery work, the property, with six centuries of history under its belt, is classified in Energy Class A4, the maximum a building can obtain for overall performance.
KlimaHaus CERTIFICATION
All this has allowed us to obtain KlimaHaus (CasaClima) certification.
For us, adhering to the KlimaHaus (CasaClima) protocol was a practical choice, a means to an end that offered us a systematic, objective way to achieve the sustainability goals we aspired to from day one: reducing our environmental impact, limiting the use of natural resources, optimising energy efficiency and guaranteeing our own well-being as occupants and the well-being of the guests who choose us.
The process for obtaining certification meant having our choices assessed and validated by an independent body. It involved submitting documents for verification, undergoing checks during the construction process and passing instrumental tests to demonstrate compliance with specific parameters, in order to guarantee:
the airtightness of the building envelope, verified with the Blower Door Test;
the absence in the soil of radon, a naturally radioactive gas that is potentially damaging to human health, verified by instrumental testing:
acoustic comfort, obtained thanks to the use of sound-absorbent construction materials, verified with an acoustic study;
The absence of harmful substances such as formaldehyde, heavy metals, tin and lead from the construction materials and for the indoor and outdoor finishes, to be demonstrated with the submission of certificates and data sheets.
Adopting the KlimaHaus (CasaClima) protocol brought us into contact with professionals able to guide us through this process and to make Cà del Buio Eco B&B the first hospitality facility in Liguria to obtain KlimaHaus Welcome certification.
This isn’t what we set out to do initially, but it’s hugely satisfying!
