AlmaVerde, set in a 36 hectare landscaped rural setting among mature oak, pine and carob trees in the heart of the western Algarve, Portugal, is a development where the innovative Coolhouse system is being utilised to reduce the reliance on non-renewable energy sources and, therefore, CO2 emissions.

Funded by the Energy Research Directorate of the European Commission to investigate innovative ventilation and cooling strategies with a view to reducing the use of domestic air conditioning in Southern Europe, thereby reducing CO2 emissions, AlmaVerde is a founding partner of the European-wide project team.

Jes Mainwaring, AADip, RIBA, AlmaVerde's principal architect, says: “Buildings are responsible for 50 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions. By applying simple, well-established principles, our project demonstrates that major improvements in energy efficiency and thermal comfort can be achieved at modest incremental cost.

“In developing AlmaVerde, we believe that it is our duty to design buildings to minimise energy use while providing optimum year-round comfort. AlmaVerde has conceived a low-technology strategy that uses the soil mass as a heat sink to remove the peaks and troughs of the external air temperature, allowing a consistent supply temperature to the houses.”