The acronym nZEB - Nearly Zero Energy Building - refers to a type of highly energy-efficient building characterised by extremely low energy consumption, i.e. close to zero.
The European EPBD (2010/31/EU) requires all new buildings to meet the European nZEB standard or equivalent.

Villa Noal, located in Brescia, in north-eastern Italy, was designed and built in every respect as an nZEB building. The house in fact consumes very little energy, self-produced by renewable energy production systems such as photovoltaic panels, district heating and geothermal energy. The entire project was a heartfelt and conscious choice of the client, in harmony with the designer and builder, and required the collaboration of external experts and consultants such as thermal engineers and energy design professionals. The architect's role was crucial in coordinating the project phases and at the same time creating beautiful and comfortable environments.

The architectural design adopted measures that optimise the use of natural resources, reducing dependence on non-renewable energy sources.
Following a careful assessment of the sun's angles of inclination, the orientation of the building, the direction and size of openings and overlooks, shadings and other compositional architectural details were designed to help the building consume as little energy as possible, making maximum use of solar exposure to light and heat the rooms during the colder months.
In the words of architect Andrea Benedetti, "Architectural regeneration becomes urban. Today, we no longer design by observing only the streets, but it is very important to design with the sun, orientations and views."

Starting from these considerations, the project that originally involved the renovation of the old family home has become a demolition and reconstruction job.
The interior style is contemporary, simple and essential. Large, full-height windows without frames and lift-slide glass doors with concealed tracks connect interior and exterior with minimal clutter, letting light filter through and the eye run.
The colours chosen for furniture and walls are neutral and relaxing, in harmony with the simple, linear shapes of the spaces. Only for the bathrooms very rich colours were chosen – sage green, antique pink, powder blue – which characterise each one. The painting was done with an airbrush and not with a brush, so as to obtain a velvety surface and avoid an orange peel effect.

In line with the minimalism that defines the entire stylistic project, the architect chose ECLISSE flush-to-wall solutions for doors and skirting boards.
ECLISSE 40, the flared door frame for flush-to-wall doors, is one of the most characterising elements of interior spaces. With its visible profiles in Champagne finish, the flared side frames the doors, creating dramatic splays that play with light and shadow and identify the passage in the wall through sharp colour contrasts. For the architect, "ECLISSE 40 represents a minimal detail, but at the same time one of great impact and value. This element is transformed into an authentic design object, set into the wall, a portal that invites you to discover what lies beyond what we usually simply call a door."
To co-ordinate every doorway, the Syntesis flush-to-wall pocket door giving access to the private bathroom in the master bedroom (the blue bathroom) is embellished with the ECLISSE Mimesi accessory, the special aluminium profile designed to combine a flush pocket door and an ECLISSE 40 frame in the same room. In this case, the finish is the same as Champagne.
Throughout the house, ECLISSE Syntesis Baseboard was installed, the profile that allows the skirting board to be totally flush with the wall. The actual skirting board was installed in a paintable version, which allowed for the same finish to run from floor to ceiling.

Location: Brescia - ITALY
Flush splayed hinged doors: ECLISSE 40
Flush sliding pocket door systems: ECLISSE Syntesis Line
Decorative profiles for pocket doors: ECLISSE Mimesi
Flush-to-wall access panels: ECLISSE Syntesis Areo
Flush-to-wall baseboard: ECLISSE Syntesis Baseboard