The rebuilt wing of the Prince’s Palace will be heated and cooled using seawater, the first system of its kind in Monaco-Ville, as the project has been awarded silver-level certification under the Principality’s sustainable building standard.
The ‘Nouvelle Aile II’ project, the reconstruction of the palace’s 1960s western wing, received Monaco Sustainable Mediterranean Buildings (BD2M) silver certification for its design phase on 18th September. The certificate was presented to Prince Albert II at a ceremony at the palace attended by those involved in the project, according to a statement from the Palace Press Office on Tuesday.
A first for the Rock
Central to the design is a thalassothermal loop, which draws on the sea as a source of energy to heat and cool the building. The Palace says the system, which the Prince wanted from the outset, will reduce the building’s reliance on fossil fuels and improve its energy management. It is the first such installation in Monaco-Ville, although seawater heat pumps are already used elsewhere in the Principality.
Modern standards behind historic façades
Launched by Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene, the reconstruction aims to bring the wing up to current standards of safety, accessibility and environmental performance, and includes the addition of an extra storey.
Working within the tight constraints of a heritage site, the project sets out to preserve the wing’s architectural identity and historic façades while improving how the building is used and how it performs. From the design stage, the team favoured high-performance and bio-based materials, reuse and circular economy principles, and Monegasque and local contractors. Water management, bioclimatic design and energy efficiency were also priorities.
The works are being carried out under the authority of the Administration des Biens, which manages the Prince’s property.
Adapting the standard to historic buildings
BD2M was launched by the Monegasque Government in 2018 with the environmental organisation EnvirobatBDM, to recognise construction projects that build sustainability into their design and delivery.
According to the Palace, the Nouvelle Aile II project is also feeding into a wider discussion about how the BD2M approach can be adapted for historic and individual buildings, which face very different challenges from new developments.
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Photo credit: Frédéric Nebinger / Palais princier