Sustainability Report
Embodied carbon
The LFSN House implemented several strategies to minimize embodied carbon:
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Preservation-First Strategy: The project significantly reduced construction-related emissions by preserving over 70% of the original structure, retaining load-bearing walls, and working within the original building envelope. This avoided the embodied carbon costs associated with new materials and full-scale reconstruction, directly embodying the principle that "the greenest building is the one that is already built."
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Reuse of Existing Elements: The design integrates the reuse of existing elements, recycled and repurposed wooden partitions in the meeting room area.
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Recycled Materials: A recycled wooden staircase by Baubuche was integrated, which has a lower embodied carbon footprint compared to traditional steel or concrete. Recycled insulation panels were also applied.
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Regionally Sourced Materials: Materials were regionally sourced to reduce transportation emissions.
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Low Environmental Impact New Materials: New materials were specifically selected for their low environmental impact and durability.
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Customized Elements with Low Impact: A customized meeting room table with a low environmental impact was made up of Glass and Baubuche wood.
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Non-Toxic Materials: Textured renders and other materials contain"no toxic materials that can negatively impact the people or environment, specifically being free of any additives based on cadmium, lead, hexavalent chromium, mercury, arsenic, or selenium materials. This indirectly contributes to circularity by making materials safer for recycling or reuse.
Operational Emissions / Energy
The LFSN House focuses on reducing operational emissions and energy consumption through an NZEB (Net Zero Energy Building) approach and passive design:
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Passive Sustainability: The minimal intervention model promotes passive sustainability by maintaining thermal mass, optimizing cross-ventilation through the vertical extension, and enhancing natural lighting.
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Optimized Building Orientation: Optimized for passive heating and cooling.
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Building Envelope Resistance and Airtightness:
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Uses 12 cm thermal insulation EPS of RD [3.85 (m2 ·K)/W] (Mapetherm EPS G CAM).
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Constructed by skilled laborers for building techniques.
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Uses aluminum profiles with a thermal break (Alsistem Ecoslim 62TT) for windows and doors.
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Features double glazing 8/27/6 with laminations for better thermal and UV performance (Planiterm INOX).
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On-site Solar Power Generation: Utilizes Q.Antum_Solar Panels for power generation, aiming for NZEB.
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Efficient Electrical Fixtures and Systems:
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Power storage for on-demand power usage (Power storage ZUCCHETTI).
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Efficient cooling and heating fixtures with smart fans A++ rating (Heat Pump_Ariston, Inverter_ZCS AZZURRO, Nimbus Aquaslim FS_Ariston).
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Condensing Water heater with low consumption.
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Smart system control for heating, cooling, lighting, and sensor control, integrated with Alexa home.
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Service and maintenance emissions
The LFSN House incorporates strategies to ensure low maintenance costs and reduce emissions associated with long-term service:
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Integration of Smart Systems: Smart systems are integrated into maintenance cycles, likely optimizing performance and reducing manual intervention.
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Use of Locally Sourced Materials: Reduces the embodied carbon associated with transport for any future replacements or repairs.
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Use of Durable and Long-Lasting Materials: Minimizes the frequency of replacement and associated material production/installation emissions.
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Use of Certified Finishing Materials: Likely implies materials with known performance and longevity.
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Fixtures with Low Water Usage: Includes dual flush WCs, which reduces water consumption and thus the energy/emissions related to water treatment and pumping.
Afterlife
Adaptive reuse is explicitly stated as a cornerstone of the project’s design.
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No New Volumes/Maintained Structure: The design maintained the same structure with no new volumes added, respecting the existing building's longevity.
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Minimal Alterations: Only a few changed openings and balconies removed were part of the intervention, facilitating the existing structure's adaptation.
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Flexible Floor Layouts: Internally, flexible floor layouts allow for future reprogramming, ensuring the building can adapt to different uses over its lifespan.
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Extended Lifespan: This approach not only prolongs the building's lifespan but enables future adaptation.
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Local Scale Impact: The project successfully repurposed an abandoned building into the studio’s workspace, demonstrating adaptive reuse on a local scale and its potential to revive rural contexts.
The project incorporates elements designed for easy disassembly to support the circular economy:
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Dry-Mounted Wooden Partition Walls: Wooden partition walls are dry-mounted for easy disassembly, allowing them to be removed or reconfigured without destructive processes and facilitating their reuse.
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Reuse of Materials: The project emphasizes the reuse of existing and recycled elements, setting a precedent for circularity.
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Low-Waste Construction: The soft intervention construction process yielded a lower amount of waste and dust, and waste was properly and responsibly disposed of, laying the groundwork for end-of-life circularity.
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Material Selection for Durability/Recyclability: The choice of durable, long-lasting, and non-toxic materials (like lime-based plasters, recycled insulation, and non-toxic renders) supports their potential for future reuse or safe recycling.
Key products in low carbon design
