New villa
in Troina
VENTILATED ROOF AND FACADE
| Type | Residential building |
| Intervention | Demolition and reconstruction |
| Location | Troina, Italy |
| Roof insulation | Isotec by Brianza Plastica – 120 mm thick |
| Roof cladding | Aluminium tiles |
| Facade insulation | Isotec Parete by Brianza Plastica – 100 mm thick |
| Facade cladding | Elycem fibre-cement boards by Brianza Plastica |
| Energy performance | NZEB (Nearly Zero-Energy Building) certification |
The project
Set within the picturesque landscape of the Nebrodi Park natural area in Sicily, this small villa in Troina was created through the demolition and reconstruction of an existing building and is arranged over two storeys. The ground floor follows a predominantly horizontal layout with a regular floor plan, while the upper level is defined by an attic floor. The entrance side is protected by a loggia-style structure punctuated by two circular openings. With its clean, simple lines, the large single-pitch roof gives the building an elegant appearance that integrates seamlessly with the landscape, aided by the choice of dark brown aluminium tiles for the cladding.
The intervention
The designers opted for a fully dry construction method with a steel load-bearing structure. A metal substructure was fixed to the infill walls to level the surfaces and bring them flush with the thickness of the steel frame. Next, lightweight yet highly durable Elycem fibre-cement boards were installed, providing a smooth, traditional plaster-like finish. These were secured to the stiffeners of the Isotec Parete panels using special screws. The façades were then completed with a thin layer of plaster and painted white, creating an elegant contrast with the dark brown aluminium cladding used for the entrance details and the roof.
For the roof, 120 mm-thick Isotec panels were installed on the discontinuous steel support structure, ensuring high-performance continuous ventilated insulation. Oriented strand boards (OSB) were then positioned and fixed to the Isotec metal stiffeners, creating a suitable base for installing the metal cladding.
The final result
The use of the two Brianza Plastica insulation systems on the roof and façade has made it possible to protect the entire building envelope in a uniform, continuous and consistent manner. It combines the excellent thermal insulation performance of polyurethane with the benefits of ventilation, which are particularly valuable in winter, when they help remove moisture, and in summer, when they allow excess hot air to escape, reducing the thermal load on the insulation. Installation speed and simplicity were also key advantages. In this project, the installation of the insulation system and cladding, covering a total area of 360 sqm, was completed by the contractor in just 10 working days. This demolition and reconstruction project has achieved NZEB certification, confirming its status as a nearly zero-energy building.
