The reconversion of a 18th -century farmhouse in the first 100% self -sustainable luxury hotel in empty Spain

More and more success cases are that we find from almost null energy consumption buildings and even positive, but the energy rehabilitations of emblematic real estate are still testimonial.

Óscar García and Marta Goiri, a marriage of Madrid businessmen, traveled to the region of Matarraña, in Teruel, in 2016, a place they fell in love with their landscape, their people, their mountains ... turning this short stay in the realization of asleep.This is how the first 5 sustainable luxury stars was born Torre del Marqués.

This unique establishment, with 18 rooms, water circuit, restaurant and ecological garden, has managed to position itself as a 100% self -supportable hotel, where respect for the environment has been a basic premise both in the rehabilitation of the farmhouse where it is located asof all its natural and cultural environment.

Located in an emblematic farmhouse of the 18th century surrounded by 150 hectares of olive trees, vineyards and almond trees, tower of the marquis has become an example of circular economy thanks to an elaborate and thorough ecosstable rehabilitation project, for which elements ofTraditional construction of the region, as well as natural materials of proximity and local labor.

“On the one hand we have tried to preserve the architectural and cultural value of the building, through a low environmental impact action of the environment on which it is based.We also seek to provide a significant economic impact in the area through the hiring of local suppliers and artisans, ”says Oscar García.

Its exploitation has followed the principles of sustainability, such as the use of renewable energy, the hiring of local personnel, the promotion of products in the area, the use of local suppliers and the tourist promotion of the region where the hotel is based.

La reconversión de una masía del siglo XVIII en el primer hotel de lujo 100% autosostenible en la España Vacía

According to its owner, the largest performance was to build all the expansion in Tapial, using sand and straw of the farm.On the other hand, all the soils of the rooms have been made in plaster of Albarracín and the soils of the passage areas, rooms and restaurant rooms in a cooked mud piece of the Perelló.Finally, the interior walls have been carried out in sandstone obtained from ancient masias collapsed from the area, and in clay to favor the natural regulation of moisture.

As for local employment, the rehabilitation of the Masía has had about 40 artisans from Alcañiz, Rafales, Valderrobres, Monroyo, Gandesa and Alcorisa working on the work throughout the 24 months of construction.They have been in charge of the construction of the new volumes, the wooden structure, the inner and exterior wood carpentry, the work of the stone, the implementation of soils and inner walls.Also plumbing and electricity was made with specialized companies in the area.

On a functional level, the lace of the renewable energy equipment, such as the solar and boiler panels of the biomass, matter that is extracted from the pine forests of the farm, in a farmhouse of the 18th century, is total.“At the aesthetic we were careful to locate the energy generation facilities far from the hotel building, and integrated into new and necessary construction elements.The photovoltaic plates are installed on top of the parking marques, and oriented in such a way that it obtains as much performance as possible, but with a low visual impact.Likewise, the heat generation center was located in the hotel and laundry building of the hotel, using buried heat -in -hot channels, to provide hot water to the hotel, ”explains Marta Goiri.All water used at the hotel is also reused.

Not happy with this specimenNatural place.

This architectural project is in its final phase of writing and has several complementary objectives: not to subtract prominence from the main building, dating from 1702;Take advantage of existing rates, burying the new facilities under them, to keep the current vegetable covers that provide multiple terraces and spaces open to the hotel;and reduce the energy need when using the land in three of the four walls of the rooms, since it is one of the best thermal and acoustic insulators that exists.

Recently Torre del Marqués has been selected as one of the only 26 hotels around the world to receive the Considate Collection Certification of the Small Luxury Hotels label that accredits it as an actively sustainable hotel in environmental impact, local and cultural community.

The three pillars on which this choice is based on the same project is combined in the same project: use of natural resources, maintenance of the identity signals of the region, promoting interaction with local artisans and producers, and support for the population, trying to leave theMost of the benefits provided by this activity in the region, through hiring local personnel with fair salaries, training plans and training of suppliers, and supporting the development of neighbors with new business initiatives.