Sustainability Report
Custom Certificates
Embodied carbon
The project's embodied carbon strategy is a deliberate balance between structural necessity and low-carbon material use.
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Concrete for Structure: Due to the project's unique shape, large cantilever, and deep foundations near a river, the main structure was built with concrete. The architect's philosophy was to use the "right materials in the right place."
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Wood for Cladding and Extensions: Wood was used as a lower-carbon material for roof extensions and for cladding on the facades and underside of balconies.
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Waste Management: Construction waste was sorted, collected, and recycled with the help of TR'n'collect.
Operational Emissions / Energy
The project's design focuses on bioclimatic design and biophilia to reduce operational energy use.
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Bioclimatic Design: A compact building volume minimizes heat loss. The multi-oriented flats and a central gap allow for natural cross-ventilation, which is crucial for summer comfort.
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Passive Cooling: The large, undulating balconies provide shade, and a central garden with real earth helps create a "cool island effect" that lowers the surrounding temperature.
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Vertical Garden: The extensive vertical garden with endemic plants helps to naturally regulate temperature and provides insulation, reducing the need for mechanical cooling.
Afterlife
The project's primary approach to a circular economy focuses on waste management. Instead of designing building elements to be easily disassembled for reuse, the team concentrated on what they could control during the construction phase: sorting and recycling waste.
The structure was designed to be easily changed for a completely different future use (such as changing from housing to a school). The only mention of adaptation is the basement's design to handle potential flooding.
The approach emphasizes the "end of life" of construction materials rather than focusing on the building design itself. By partnering with TR'n'Collect, a waste management company, two key solutions are implemented: firstly, sorting waste at the source to ensure materials like wood, plastic, and concrete are separated on-site; secondly, collecting and transporting the sorted waste to facilities where up to 90% can be recovered for reuse. Essentially, the architect prioritizes responsible management of construction waste without specifically designing the building for future disassembly.
Key products in low carbon design
