In Pont-de-Barret, a peaceful town in Drôme, stands a home like no other. From the outside, nothing really distinguishes her from traditional mountain chalets. Yet, This house may well revolutionize our way of living. Its creator, Olivier Sidler, 77, former engineer specializing in energy control, has succeeded in the impossible: to design a home that goes completely with heating while maintaining an ideal temperature.
A conception that challenges the laws of thermal
The secret of this construction lies in its exceptional insulation. The walls, thick of over 50 centimeters, are made up of an innovative mixture of rice straw and biofib, a combination of cotton, linen and hemp. It is more than double the thickness of insulation of a traditional house. Under the feet, a concrete slab is based on 25 centimeters of polystyrene, creating a breathtaking thermal barrier.
But insulation does not explain everything. The house intelligently exploits solar energy thanks to its triple glazing windows, meticulously dimensioned and oriented. “We calculated the window size to the nearest centimeter”explains Olivier Sidler. “Each bay window is positioned to maximize the solar intake in winter, while avoiding summer overheating. »»
The natural heat is also there thanks to the inhabitants themselves and the household appliances. A human being gives off around 80 watts in winter, a precious energy that this house does not waste. A remarkably silent double flow ventilation system recovers this heat and redistributes it throughout the home.
Intelligence at the service of energy autonomy
Innovation does not stop there. Upstairs, the rooms have an ingenious thermal regulation system. Under the larch floor hide raw earth bricks that operate like natural thermal batteries. They absorb excess heat when it is hot and restore it when temperatures drop, now a stable temperature between 19 and 27 degrees all year round.
The management of hot water also testifies to an advanced reflection. Two compact, carefully insulated electric water heaters are installed as close as possible to the points of use. They operate exclusively between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.when solar panels are the most productive. A wastewater heat recovery system completes the device, making it possible to reduce hot water requirements by 40 %.
Result ? This 100 m² home does not consume practically nothing. Better still, thanks to its 45 m² of solar panels, it produces twice as much electricity than it uses. The surplus, sold to the network, generates around 2,300 euros in income per year.
This technical feat is not reserved for the wealthy. With A construction cost of 1900 euros/m² excluding taxescomparable to that of social housing, this house proves that an ultra-performative home can remain accessible. The social landlord of the Ardèche was also inspired to launch an HLM program without heating.
- This house maintains 23 ° C without heating thanks to ultra-performative insulation and optimized design
- It produces twice as much electricity as it consumes, generating € 2,300 in annual income
- Its construction cost remains comparable to that of social housing, proving that sustainable housing can be accessible to all
