Montieri

Montieri (Tuscany region - Province of Grosseto) lies on the northern flank of the mountain that bears the same name (Poggio di Montieri). It is a medieval town, within the Italian Geothermal District with a relevant portion of its housestock to be renovated. Montieri's 1249 inhabitants populates, an area of 108.61 square kilometres with an average population density of 11.5 inhabitants / km2.
The town rises 704 meters above the sea level, presenting a number of degree-days amounted to 2.500, and a conventional length of the heating season for 14 hours daily for a period between October 15 and April 15, for a total of 182 days per year. The Geothermal Community Project in Montieri will focus on the town as a whole.

The main Concerto activities at the Montieri test-site are as follows:

Construction of a highly innovative geothermal district heating system by using high-enthalpy fluids. This may serve as a new, ambitious example for communities with similar geothermal characteristics (e.g. Central-Eastern European countries); In CEE higher temperature fluids (medium/high enthalpy) might also be recovered, though at significantly higher investment costs. Aided by innovative technological solutions the feasibility of tapping into medium enthalpy resources will be demonstrated. This aspect of the project affects 425 dwellings which are to be connected to the district heating system. The total heated volume of these homes adds up to 110,000 m3, while the output of the geothermal system is estimated to be approx 5,500 kW (20,000GJ)
Retrofitting of selected dwellings by using integrated approaches and techniques. Montieri represents a challenging site for defining and testing a qualitative architectural integration of renewable energy technologies and retrofitting measures. In such an architectural heritage the potential for intervention at the building envelope level is quite limited. Only natural materials and methods are acceptable that are in conformity with the medieval city structure. 20% of the total dwellings in Montieri will be retrofitted during the project!
An Energy Retrofit Strategy will be introduced over the 425 residential dwellings as part of the geothermal district-heating plan. This strategy aims at reducing energy needs in conjunction with building renovation. In addition these buildings will make use of geothermal heating to become 100% fossil fuel free. The retrofitting demonstration will take into consideration the town's high cultural and artistic value.
RES Integration - on one hand a 8,5kW PV panels system will be installed to serve as the main power source of Montieri's renewed public lighting system. On the other hand a total of 42,5 m2 solar thermal collectors will be set up to serve as primary heating and DHW source for dwellings too spread out to be linked to the district heating system.

UPDATE
Progress so far include:

complex administrative tasks due to the co-funding scheme;

public tender on work management, safety coordination and works execution to realise the district heating net;

classification of dwellings to correspond their different energy performances is under way,

payback time of each possible retrofitting technology is determined

For more information on the Montieri activities, please contact:

Mr. Armando Burgassi
Email:

Mr. Alessandro Vichi
Email:
Phone: +39 0566996811