Promoting green energy in heritage buildings

A four-year study of San Anton Palace, coming to an end this year, could soon be providing insight into ways of improving energy efficiency of heritage buildings.
Addressing those attending a seminar at the palace on Friday, President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca said that commitment to cultural heritage is a duty of every member of society, insisting a project like this one was the perfect example of such efforts.
The project, spearheaded by Architect Amber Wismayer and carried out in collaboration with the University of Bath and the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, involves the use of high-tech equipment to monitor the environmental parameters of San Anton Palace.
The final outcome will be a prototype for improving energy efficiency in other heritage buildings, both local and international.

According to Ms Wismayer, the palace’s passive design features – integral parts of the building that were incorporated into its initial design – were aimed at achieving a comfortable living environment.
“That applies to energy efficiency because if we can achieve a comfortable environment, then we don’t need to depend on using artificial means of cooling and heating, wasting useless...