The Technological Centre is located inside the sustainable service sector park, a centre of attraction thought to link fair trade activities to technological innovation. This project is one of the most important Tuscan role model of green building and it's able to underline the values of quality of life and environmental protection. Moreover, this center creates a connection with local development, through supporting information and media activities.
The entire complex is built with the aim to increase the value of high profile technological proficiencies already existing in Lucca and establish new innovation centres, that will be able to increase the local hi-tech sector.
Within the Technological Centre, have been located the following macro-areas:
1. Information and Communication Technologies,
2. Virtual environment for industrial applications and cultural assets,
3. Sustainable architecture and green buildings.
The goal of the project is to reduce its environmental impact; this is why the existing buildings have been replaced with new ones, not ocuppying new areas. The Centre is conceived as a green port: both the starting point and the destination of cycle lanes and walkways; this way, it becomes part of Lucca southern green park, a meeting point for citizens and companies.
The project has been accomplished according to the following goals:
1. Sustainability.
2. Protection of the environment where the buildings are set, in order to reduce pollution.
3. Biocompatibility, in order to guarantee a healthy workplace and environmental
comfort standards.
4. Green building achieved through reduced energy consumption. The external walls and roofs are built in order to achieve good insulation standards; the exposure optimizes exploitation of sunlight in winter and thermal radiation control in summer; the use of solar shading systems helps minimizing the use of heating. Energy and water recycle are provided respectively by photovoltaic panels and rainwater tanks.
5. Low energy requirement. Energy requirement is 60% less than the limit established by national laws. Green energy is generated by gas turbine and photovoltaic panels.
6. Credit energy balance; renewable energy is produced within the Centre.
7. SBC certificate: the Technological Centre will be one of the first buildings in Tuscany to achieve the SBC certifcate (Sustainable Building Council), which allows to estimate the environmental impact of the Building in every phase of
its life.
Great care has been given to the relationship between the new building and the surroundings; natural materials have been chosen, in order to create the facade texture and keep a comfortable atmosphere in the interior. The external walls have a ceramic tile cladding, which protects the building from the elements and also allows it to "breathe".
