Danish architects, Christensen & Co. will realize the first PlusEnergy kindergarten in Norway, as part of FutureBuilt – a ten- year program (2010-2020) with a vision of developing carbon neutral urban areas and high-quality architecture.
The future is green
To support climate friendly urban development, the municipalities of Oslo, Baerum, Asker and Drammen – have launched FutureBuilt, with the aim to complete 50 pilot projects with the lowest possible greenhouse gas emission.
All pilot projects are meant to inspire and change practices in both the private and the public sector and will be of the highest architectural and environmental quality.
The kindergarten has the potential of showing the children - the future citizens of Norway - how human behavior is part of a large cycle, and how the environment and energy affects one another. In that sense the kindergarten is an example of how architecture and technology interact and how climate friendly architecture can be about much more than advanced technology.
An inner village
The building site is characterized by the beautiful stream; Kistefossdam that runs through the area and by smaller residential buildings. In order to meet the scale and topography, the kindergarten is broken down into smaller units but organized as one continous internal village with spacious ‘town plazas’, streets and smaller niches, giving a rich variation of spaces to stimulate the children´s curiosity and natural drive for adventure and magic.
Interaction between architecture and technology
The challenge has been to insure an energy concept, not only based on advanced technology but with an optimal balance between play, learning, experience, architecture and energy. The concept is based on efficient systems and use of renewable energy along with geothermal heating and natural lightning which will insure that the kindergarten has a minimal energy consumption.
The roof harvest the sun
Skylights add almost three times as much light as wall placed windows, and therefore the roof design with 12 characteristic wooden peaks is optimized for both skylights, natural ventilation and a good spot for solar panels – so good that the kindergarten has an energy surplus equivalent to the annual consumption of two cars. All adding a low consumption along with a good indoor climate and loads of daylight for the kids to enjoy.
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