This project by the Service des sites et monuments nationaux concerns the enhancement of the site of the former Roman baths in the middle of the village of Dalheim. It involves, among other things, the conversion of the Simon-Calteux house, which belongs to the municipality and is listed in the supplementary inventory of national sites and monuments. It was a former café, hotel and grocery shop, built on Roman remains at the end of the 19th century and now transformed into a regional archaeological research centre.

The programme includes fitting out a bistro on the ground floor with a kitchen and sanitary facilities, as well as an outdoor terrace. The 1st floor and attic will be used by archaeologists for logistical and administrative purposes, as well as for accommodation during excavation periods.

As the building’s façades are very distinctive in terms of their architecture and decorative features, there was no way it could be insulated externally to improve energy efficiency. Alternative methods were therefore investigated, like the cybernetics system developed by Professor-Architect Günter Pfeifer, director and founder of the ‘Kybernetik’ foundation at Darmstadt Technical University.

This system allows the building to use the heat it produces itself, while emitting no CO2:

– By collecting sunlight and converting it directly into heat

– By distributing this energy throughout the building

– By storing energy that cannot be used directly.

The system was therefore installed via a polycarbonate trombe wall on the blind south-west façade and extended on the roof to increase the heat collection surface area.

Hot air is blown into the building from the polycarbonate panels, which act as thermal collectors. A large proportion is redistributed along the walls with the help of a fan installed under the roof. Finally, the panels also act as insulation, supporting the thermal storage capacity of the walls.