To say that creating Milan’s first zero-emission hotel in a historical mansion dating back to the
1800s was ambitious is an understatement. Of the original building only the ornate façade and
the characteristic courtyard structure were retained – everything else was gutted and built from
scratch. Between 2007 and 2010, €13 million was spent on creating a truly modern green hotel
which – thanks to its reliance on state-of-the-art electrical networks – produces zero CO2. An
automated system controls the energy consumption and temperature for each room while a
combination of naturally hot water from the aquifer of Milan and extremely efficient water-to-water
heat pumps keeps hot water costs to a minimum. The company car is electric; many of the
vegetables come from the terrace gardens…the list goes on. The refurbishment will take 6 years
to pay for itself, but the owners have no regrets as they are well on their way to achieving their goal
of being “beautiful, unique and good.”