MEDIA RELEASE PR36325
Elithis Tower, the First Positive Energy Office Structure, is Now Open
DIJON, Sept. 30 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
- Designed and Constructed at Equal Cost to a Traditional
Building, the 54,000 Square Foot Structure Produces Six Times Fewer
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The Elithis Tower, designed and constructed as the world's
most environmentally sound building, has just been unveiled. Touted as the
first positive energy office structure, the tower creates more power than it
uses. From design to material and user behaviour, the Elithis Tower applies
the latest sustainable development techniques and is now open to journalists,
academics and architects interested in studying or replicating this model.
Built in Dijon, France, the Elithis Tower was initially a theoretical
challenge Thierry Bièvre, General Director of the group Elithis Engineering,
put forth to his team. Specialised in technical fluid installation and
environmental efficiency, Bièvre wanted to know whether it was possible to
create an environmentally sound building at equal cost to a traditional
structure.
Supported by the City of Dijon, France, and ADEME Bourgogne, France,
Elithis Engineers called upon renowned architect Jean-Marie Charpentier (Arte
Charpentier Architects, Paris, France) for close collaboration. Together, the
group rose to the challenge to create the 54,000 square foot, ten story
building which marries aesthetics, urban integration, comfort, energy and
environmental performance.
To achieve this impressive combination, a complete environmental ideology
was designed. Positive energy buildings produce more power than they consume
and the Elithis Tower team strategically minimised energy consumption and
maximised renewable energy use.
The Elithis Tower
The Elithis teams committed to eliminating space waste. Materials for
this project were chosen according to their global environmental impact. The
exterior of the building is made of wood and recycled insulation, while
aluminum, which strongly impacts the environmental, was used sparingly.
Bay windows were selected to bring in natural light. To complement this,
a special nomad was designed by the Elithis team to guarantee a comfortable
level of light is available without excess artificial illumination.
To take advantage of solar energy (warmth and natural light) without the
associated inconveniences (excess heat and blinding brightness) a solar
shield was designed by the Elithis engineers. Thanks to the unique design of
this shield, natural light enters the building while excess heat and blinding
light are filtered out.
In addition, a triple flow system has been patented by Elithis, which
harmonises energy in the building. Office energy emissions (from computers,
photocopiers, lights, people...) are recovered, saved, harnessed and reused
within the Elithis Tower.
Behavioural impact
To match the engineering and architectural commitment to energy
efficiency, everyone in the Elithis Tower, from owners, tenants, leaders and
academics, to administrators, employees and visitors, is empowered to
participate in the environmental efficiency of the project.
An increased level of consciousness is encouraged, meaning that people
within the building are aware of their responsibility in energy consumption.
Individuals will be inspired to make positive choices to minimise energy use
(in terms of paper, water, transportation...) and reduce the environmental
impact users have on their environment.
Evaluation and understanding
Because the Elithis Tower is such an innovative experience, the building
is designed to facilitate evaluation and understanding. More than 1,600
sensors have been installed to meticulously examine and analyse energy and
emissions. Daily energy consumption will be posted and displayed on a special
public sign, in full transparency for building greenhouse gas emissions and
environmental impact.
The Elithis Tower is the first active environmental laboratory of its
kind and scientists, researchers and universities are invited to visit the
Elithis Tower and evaluate the information collected in this project.
Technical details:
Building size - 54,000 square feet
Building details - Ten stories of office space
Main floor of retail and restaurant space
Building height - 110 feet
Total building cost - 7 million euros (6.3 million GBP)
R & D timeline - Six months
Start date - December 14th 2007
Completion date- March 31st 2009
About Elithis Engineering:
Elithis Engineering is specialised in the design and installation of
technical fluids (energy, comfort, technology, energy efficiency...) into
buildings. Their expertise plays an essential role in how to use, save and
optimise energy resources to better serve the people of today and tomorrow,
while minimising or eliminating the negative impact on the environment or the
population.
Elithis Engineering works at the heart of sustainable development. They
lead by example with the implications, research, experimentation and
application of their initiatives.
Press contact:
Johanna Toiviainen - Open2Europe
+33-1-55-02-14-58
j.toiviainen@open2europe.com
SOURCE: Elithis Engineering
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