i masCa’

Comfortably equipped sustainable housing units
To feel at home
Today, staying in other cities for work, study, recreation, or medical treatment happens more frequently than in the past. On such occasions, one usually stays in a hotel in a comfortable but slightly impersonal setting where there isn’t the same freedom that one enjoys at home. I masCa’ is an alternative to a hotel visit. It offers as much of a comfortable setting as a hotel, but it is more welcoming, more private, and more customized to your needs.
The Residence offers 10 apartments for temporary rents, all fully equipped with high quality services and technologies.
If you have to stay in Bologna for a short (or long) term, you can discover a new way to feel at home.

The Residence

The apartments of i masCa’ Residence are located in a medieval building recently renovated paying particular attention to energy saving according to an eco-sustainable and biocompatible approach

The building and its history

The building of i masCa’ Residence and its history
Our apartments are located in an old, medieval building that was originally a part of a “borgo” (little village) outside of the city wall that dates back to 1000AD. The building was close to an important convent in an area that was characterized by a consistent presence of cultivated areas and settlements that were very productive thanks to an abundance of water. It probably had an agricultural function.
i MasCa - La mappa storica
i MasCa - La mappa storica

Comfort and functionality

Eco-sustainable and biocompatible approach.

The building was recently totally reconstructed in order to make comfortable and functional accommodations using innovative technological solutions and paying particular attention to saving energy according to an eco-sustainable and biocompatible approach.

Certified Environment

LFree Protocol
I masCa’ are Legionella Free for an ethic choice which means respecting people and the enviroment they live in. The safe and effective control of the plants from the risk of legionella is obtained by adopting the LFree protocol.
i MasCa - Marchio Legionella Free

The Renovation

Energy-saving and Environmentally-Sustainable Solutions

The recovery and restoration of the building were carried out by a team of qualified professionals: the architectural project and the artistic direction were supervised by the firm of architect Alessandro Traldi of Milan, while the structural project, the technical systems and energy-saving devices were supervised by Ricerca & Progetto – Galassi, Mingozzi e Associati in Bologna.

Technical operations

During renovation, certain choices were made in order to achieve a maximum energetic efficiency and to be able to classify the entire building and the individual apartments in category A or B.

Containing thermal leaks

Obtained with the use of an isolating thermal plaster (thermal coat), keeping within the current restrictions regarding facades, and the use of isolating layers on the internal walls of the various apartments.

Heating system and production of sanitary hot water

Made up of 2 cascade condensation furnaces in order to manage all the power requests with maximum efficiency, even when the power request is minimal; in each individual apartment it’s possible to regulate the temperature with the thermostat and also calculate individual energy consumption through zone modules. Sanitary hot water is prepared by a multi-energy cell that functions also like a thermal fly-wheel to contain the peaks of demand. The use of the centralized system, in addition to notable savings in energy, also guarantees more security for the inhabitants because it eliminates potential risks for the emission of harmful gases in the apartments. The apartments are heated with water at low temperatures using radiating panels located on the ceilings that allow for high energy savings and maximum thermal-hygrometric well-being. The panels transmit heat by radiation, different from normal radiators that heat by convection, thus transmitting the heat into the moving air and diffusing the heat into the environment. With the radiating panels, the heat is felt more rapidly, there is more thermal uniformity, and, therefore, more well-being.

Mechanical ventilation system controlled by heat regenerator

In every apartment, air ventilation is guaranteed even without opening the windows (minimal heat leakage during the winter). In addition, the air is drawn from the outside at the level of the roof so that the air brought into the apartments is less polluted by the urban traffic compared to the air that would enter by opening the windows.

Inductive cooking surfaces

Inductive, electrical cooking surfaces, besides being more efficient in terms of time and energy, eliminate the dangers deriving from the use of gas (accidental leaks) and the free flame (fires, burns). It also allows for only minor energy leakage in the winter, eliminating the problem of draughts of air that come from the aeration outlets in the kitchen. In addition, the cooking surface always remains “cold”. It doesn’t burn to touch it and the food is cooked better without sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Electrical systems

They were installed following a biological orientation: a careful architecture of the electrical systems (in particular, the distribution of the cables in terms of paths and their height) is meant to limit or, if possible, to avoid the rise of electric and magnetic fields. In every cable line that goes to the bedrooms, an automatic disjunctor is installed so that, in the absence of electric charge, it opens the circuit and removes tension. This way, when no electric appliance is being used in the bedrooms, the rooms are totally free from electric and magnetic fields. The circuits will automatically be closed and tension restored immediately upon request (at the first use of an electric appliance). In every apartment, an energy management system is present in the kitchen area and its function is to prevent the load limiting device in the ENEL meter from shutting of all electrical power. In the case of power overcharge, the connected charges are automatically deactivated in a programmed sequence.

Building lift system

Vertical, oil-dynamic elevator with a very low absorption of power (1.1 KW)

Photovoltaic system

2.2 KW in power, satisfies the energetic needs of the common services

Systems for the transfer of light

To improve the natural illumination of the apartments that have windows that face on inner courtyards, reflective mirrors and wells of light were installed: by means of piping with mirrored walls they carry the sunlight from the roof to the lower floors.