The Stûv that Dreams Are Made of
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto 
on 02.24.07
We have warmed to many wood stoves, including the lovely modern Rais, but our jaw dropped when we saw the stunning Belgian Stûv at the Interior Design Show. However its inner beauty was revealed when we looked at its features and specifications. It actually works in three modes: when the large curved glass is closed, it reaches thermal and emission efficiencies beyond the tightest European standards. Raise the glass and it is an attractive (if less efficient) open fireplace. At night, close the solid door and its increased airtightness will allow slow burning all through the night. Toss in a swivel to make it face any direction and get this, a radiant barbeque that clips on the front, and you have one hot stove. Cheap at $ 9,000. Available in North America from ::Stûv found at ::IDS
"Stûv has always manufactured efficient stoves.Nowadays most of the models comply with European standards. They undergo approval tests in the Dutch TNO laboratories for their compliance with DIN 18895 or 18891 standards more recently European standards EN 13229 or 13240. As to the stoves that are not approved yet (Stûv 15 and Stûv 60) they should pass the tests with no problems. The efficiency rating indicates the percentage of fuel used (wood) that transforms into useful heat to warm your home. The minimum requirements or Approval is 65% efficiency for an insert-type hearth and 75% for a stove (as an indication, an open fire rarely manages 20% efficiency). Wood combustion produces CO2 (greenhouse gas) ; an efficient hearth will consume less wood, with favourable effects both on your budget and on nature preservation.'
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It had better get like 80+% efficiency, and be able to put off 50,000+ BTUs, otherwise you are paying twice what you should for a wood stove. Most modern EPA stoves have an efficiency in the 70s, and put off 1-4 grams of smoke per hour, with BTUs ranging from 20,000 to 75,000. at most $5,000 is what you should be paying, and you can get a great one for around $3,000
As a treehugger, you don't want a stove to be airtight. Smoldering is the least efficient form of combustion.
The only thing about this stove at all special is that it is vertical, as opposed to horizontal, so it takes up less space.
Burning wood in a modern stove is (in my opinion at least) a green thing. It is carbon neutral, produces very little smoke (especially with a catalyst), and is harvested from local sources, not some warlord in Arabia or super-billionaire in Russia. Just, for gods sakes, don't spend too much on one, unless you have way too much money. Even then I bet you could find green things to do with $5,000.
LA: It is 83% efficient and Belgian made with a lot of bells a and whistles. I played with it and the construction and detailing is remarkable.
Very nice product and in a properly built home[correct solar orientation and superinsulation]it will almost never be needed!At Sunfire research they have a wood stove in the main house and even in the middle of winter,and it gets very cold there as the location is the Great Basin in Nevada,you must open windows as you will ROAST!
I concur this is a uniquely special fireplace and can be considered a supplemental heat source rather than just romantic and aesthetic design.
We are considering a unit for our LEED home (www.imberaksehouse.ca) because it uses outdoor air for combustion so it doesn't make your HRV cycle to make up air loss — it can also suck interior basement air thru its heat exchanger and blow back into the room or into a ducted system — it can also pull pull exterior air thru this exchanger an blow back outside effectively acting as a unit cooling mechanism if you wish to lower the efficiency when you make 'er too hot. They also use a very unique window air wash system that keeps the glass clean without need for chemical scrubs.
They average 80% efficiency and pump out decent BTU's in the 40K range. And yes it must be sealed to NOT consume your interior pre heated air - rather it combusts exterior air.
Not Grandpa's stove - rather high performance furniture.