5 Low Energy Buildings

Low energy buildings are now becoming more common and each one has it’s own technology and building method to get to their desired goal. As we aim for the net zero building standard these are the buildings that we should be looking at and learning from to bring our expertise and know how forward.

Each of the 5 buildings featured uses their own design, heating and building method to produce a final result that is economical in the long term both from a sustainable and financial perspective. These buildings will one day become the standard for all buildings and here are just 5 of these buildings that show how this goal is achievable.

The Green Lighthouse

The Green lighthouse is the first carbon neutral building in Denmark that is used by the University of Copenhagen’s Faculty of Science. The building has been built with natural ventilation and orientated to capture the movement of the sun throughout the day. This coupled with advanced controls on both the light, heating and ventilation has resulted in the zero carbon. The major factor in reducing the carbon output from the building is the buildings circular architectural design of the building.

Ineedra

The Ineedra building is located south of Lyon outside the town of Valence. Built with poroton blocks and a high use of timber the building is heated using a condensing boiler and a heat recovery system. The plan behind the building is to constructive the building with the lifecycle in mind. Each stage of the building has been carefully considered from the construction to the demolition of the building. The design of the building with this in mind gives it a truely sustainable aspect.

Solar Prism

A refurbishment project in the town of Albertslund, Denmark this innovative project takes a poorly insulated 1970′s construction and converts it to a low energy dwelling. This refurbishment has everything thrown at it from a heat pump to heat recovery and both forms of solar panels. What is interesting about this project is the Solar Prism that has been installed on the flat roof of the house to both accommodate the solar panels, let in additional light and if needed in the future is capable of adding further panels.

Tescos – Cambridgeshire

Every big corporate company wants to be seen to be green, eco friendly and sustainable these days and Tescos in no exception but with their news stores are they seem to be putting their money where their mouth is. The retail store in Ramsey, Cambridgeshire is classed as a first zero carbon store the company has constructed. To achieve this milestone a wealth of low energy and low carbon solutions were used from the CHP biofuel heating to LED lighting in the carpark. This along with the extensive use of timber throughout the construction means they’re heading the right way with their green credentials.

House For Life

Another Danish building but this new build residential which has been constructed to produce more energy than it consumes. The house is built in a traditional danish style and with the use of a heat pump, 7m² of solar thermal panels and 50m² of photovoltaics the house will have saved enough carbon to cancel to carbon used in the production of it’s building materials. This along with the aesthetics ensure that this is truly a user and environment friendly house.

Something Missing

While writing this article, it’s always a possibility that we missed some low energy innovative building or other information that would be of interest to our readers. Feel free to share it with us.