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Energy efficiency in buildings

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Danish Library Nominated for International Award

Besides a spacious library, the 35,000 m2 DOKK1 houses a citizen service centre, office spaces, an underground automated car park for 1000 cars as well as new dock- and public spaces. It is located in the current European Capital of Culture, the Danish city of Aarhus.

Having already been awarded Public Library of the Year and A + Popular Choice Award in 2016, DOKK1 can now boast of another recognition. LEAF Awards celebrates the best new international architectural projects according to their specific criteria.

Since its inauguration in 2015, there has been built a weir in order to adapt to the rising water levels brought on by climate change and in 2017, a station on the Light Rail Transit system will be built beneath the building.

Source: Molio

Within a number of areas, conscious efforts have been made to reduce the energy consumption at DOKK1:

Low-energy building

  • DOKK1 is constructed as a low-energy building class 2015
  • The compact shape of the building has meant a reduction in the surface area and a reduction of heat loss in return.
  • There are natural shades via the size of the floors and their mutual placement.
  • When the sun is low in the winter, solar radiation will reach the facades of the building while in the summer when the sun is high, the lower floors will be shaded.
  • There is a solar cell system on the roof of approx. 3000 m2.

Utilisation of sea water cooling

  • By using sea water cooling for cooling down DOKK1, the energy consumption is reduced significantly.
  • Sea water cooling is used e.g. in the server room and on the building's third level where there are cooling lofts.

Lighting

  • Inside as well as outside, there has been focus on keeping energy consumption as low as possible, e.g. by using LED-lighting.
  • In order to minise energy consumption by increased inflow of daylight, the inflow of daylight in relevant parts of the building are regulated.
  • In relevant parts of the building, a light switch must be activated before lights will go on.
  • In relevant parts of the building, the light will automatically switch off after an adjustable period where the room/zone has not been used.

Green automatic parking facility

  • Reduced consumption for ventilation.
  • Reduced consumption of lighting.
  • Reduced fuel consumption for transportation in the facility.
  • Social sustainability: less vandalism of cars, greater sense of security for drivers, greater accessibility.

Minimising energy consumption in the construction phase

  • In order to minimise energy consumption in the construction phase, demands were made on all building contractors in the project and they must follow a number of guidelines for the purpose of making the construction site energy-efficient.
  • Part of the expenses for construction site, power fell on the individual contractor who was thereby encouraged to minimise energy consumption.

Source: Urban Mediaspace Aarhus

(Image: Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects)

Facts about DOKK1

  • Size/ 35,600 m²
  • Cost/ Approx. € 280 million excl. VAT
  • Competition/ 2009, first prize in restricted international competition
  • Status/ Completed in 2015
  • Client/ The Municipality of Aarhus
  • Client partner/ Realdania
  • Architect/ Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects
  • Landscape Architect/ Arkitekt Kristine Jensens Tegnestue
  • Engineer/ Alectia Consulting Engineers
  • Client consultant/ Rambøll Denmark
  • Other consultants/ Bahn arkitekter
  • Awards/ 2015 Commendation, Architectural Review MIPIM Future Projects Awards/ 2015, City of Aarhus Architecture Prize/ 2016, A+ Popular Choice Award/ 2016, Public Library of the Year Award/ 2017, European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award Nomination

Source: Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects

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