Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
example of the effects that energy saving issues can have on architecture. The site
chosen for the new headquarters is North of the Madrid city centre in the urban
expansion area of Alcobendas.
The building's simple parallelepiped shape, which minimizes the surface of the
envelope that is exposed to the climate, is internally arranged around an atrium.
Taking advantage of the difference in level at the edge of the plot, the designers
placed the main entrance at the intermediate level so that when the visitor enters
the building he can immediately perceive the lay-out of the different functions.
The efficient passive performance of the building reduces the periods when an
active temperature control is required and therefore limits the amount of service
requirements to amounts that can be provided almost entirely with renewable energy
sources. The integrated approach between architecture and services has allowed for a
60 % saving on the cooling requirements that a traditional office building could require.
Some of the innovative solutions include:
• a second external skin made of aluminium blades which automatically
controls heat gains depending on the intensity of solar radiation;
• the atrium as the driver of ventilation. Open skylights on top of the build-
ing act as chimneys for stack effect ventilation, extracting the exhaust air
from the offices. Outside fresh air is pushed by small fans through a con-
crete labyrinth between the underground slab and the ground, where the
air pre-cools or pre-heats;
• the design of the entire building for possible dismantling at the end of its
life-cycle;
• vacuum-packed solar collectors on the roof;
• polycrystalline photovoltaic modules on the South façade (Figs.
3.13
,
3.14
).
Fig. 3.13
Ecobox: The South façade, protecting the glazed portions of the envelope from direct
