Human species have been using the planet's resources without any consideration of the future and the consequences for thousands of years now. Structures and buildings were means to exploit the resources for complete human comfort detaching us from any slight difficulty and discomfort (Ristinen and Kraushaar, 23). It is visible today that the continuation of this trend would result in extreme human discomfort in the future, ironically. Therefore more architects have been exploring low energy consuming structures and techniques.
Most of the time these innovative and some what utopic projects stay in theory because they were not thought out and researched well. The 2226 building in Lustenau, Austria successfully proves this thought wrong. Baumschlager Eberle, an Austrian firm that has been concentrating on energy-efficient and sustainable design techniques since it was founded in 1985, constructed the office building in 2013 as a means to achieve “meaningful coherence for the users” without mechanical systems for heating, cooling and air ventilation(Baumschlager-Eberle).
Dietmar Eberle says that one of the most important aims for the project was the durability. They wanted to prove the ability to build and live within structures that were designed to have flexibility according to climate and could function under the condition of low energy consumption (WienerBerger).
The 2226 is a simple looking structure built out of white stone both interior, with high-ceilings, and exterior. What’s very unique about this building is that it has no external energy use for cooling, heating and ventilation. The architects designed a software of sensors connected to air vents, which operate according to the climate and temperature of the building. The software is integrated into the whole structure and measures the temperature, humidity, oxygen and carbon dioxide levels.
A stone building in Austria with no heating doesn’t sound very appealing probably. But the architects found various strategies to achieve warmth in the building- yes one can feel warm in Austria during winter. Windows are high, slim and placed deeply in the façade to prevent excessive thermal input while providing as much natural lighting. The vents, located in the window appenditures, are flexible; they open in winter only when the carbon dioxide level increases and open during night in summer for natural ventilation. Artificial lighting, electronic devices and human body temperatures provide the appropriate energy input. The building is oriented and designed slightly angled to reduce direct sun radiation during the day. It is a pretty intelligent system that purely aims to optimize human comfort in various climatic conditions through the year.
One critical issue regarding energy consumption was the form of the structure. To ne more energy-efficient the building was designed as a cube-shape with a compact form. This resulted in a very good heat-transfer-coefficient (aeccafe). The envelope is double-façade of 36 cm masonry bricks. They are rendered on the exterior and plastered on the interior to provide appropriate insulation. These units are from a local range of hollow clay blocks and are designed as joints interlocking into each other. The design provided air pockets within the clay blocks for thermal resistance (Bdonline).
A very interesting feature is the name of the building -2226. It actually refers to the most comfortable perceived temperature rate, which is 22-26 Celsius. According to Jurgen Stoppel, the project architect, the energy consumption during the construction was also fairly low since they used only local and sustainable materials (Onofficemagazine). The low-energy concept they have adapted seems to be working since the opening of the building. According to research and studies done weeks after the opening, the building is actually preserving and optimizing temperatures successfully. The air ventilation and humidity are proven to be of human comfort. This project again proves how structures and different strategies have the ability to optimize available resources as well as comfortably “serve” humans with only few additional energy resources.
Inevitably the 2226 building does use energy resources to operate the computer systems and artificial lighting inside. This energy resource is a sustainable one. Due to the location solar energy is not a viable option but like most structures in that business district, the 2226 uses wind power energy to run its systems. Thus proving how humans are not only destructing the planet but with some simple strategies and low-costs, everyone can achieve sustainability and low energy consumption in their surrounding environment.
Resources
Ristinen, Robert A., and Jack J. Kraushaar. Energy and the Environment. New York: Wiley, 1999. 1-29. Print.
www.baumschlager-eberle.com