Sustainability Strategy Sustainability Strategy 3.1 3.1

Sunlight and Shading

A sunlight strategy was of particular significance to my design as i wanted as much glass as possible so as to best take advantage of the location of the site, and its relationship to the surrounding historic architecture and city scape of ile de la cite. Part of my solution was a system similar to that of a double skin facade, with two layers of glass. In my design however, the space between the two layers is habitable, and forms the main atrium space. The rooms with specific functions and requirements are then housed behind the second layer, in the individual volumes. These volumes are clad in a perforated mesh, which further shields from excessive solar gain whilst also provides the uniformity on the facade that i wanted, without the need for large louvres.

Sun Angle

Ile de la Cite latitude.

48.8 degrees

Earths Tilt

23.5 degrees

Winter = 90- (48.4+23.5) = 17.6 degrees

Summer= 90-(48.8-23.5) - 64.6 degrees

Steel grating that serves as flooring for the exterior scaffold provides some solar shading.

Double glazed Solar Control Glass with protective, non tinted coating that reduces solar gain.

Anodized Perforated Aluminium Mesh

Second Glass facade, which requires no protective coating.

The diagram shows how light is filtered through the layers of facade build up. This allows spaces such as the library, which requires a controlled and stable environment to be fully glazed where otherwise the sun might damage valuable books.

Anodized Perforated Aluminium Mesh

Ventilation Strategy

Similar to the shading strategy, the natural ventilation system utilises the atrium space to help create a stable internal environment. It acts as the buildings lungs. Electronically operated windows on the outer facade open and close depending upon internal conditions, this circulates cool air up through the atrium, stale air is then vented out of the roof and upper windows as it rises. The volumes have similar mechanically opening panels controlled by the same climate system. These open out into the atrium. An air-conditioning system then assists, helping to circulate this air around the internal spaces before being exhausted up the inside of the service cores and out the roof. This system, like the facade is designed to reduce temperature fluctuation internally, by drawing air in from the large internal atrium. Allowing controlled spaces like the library and offices to be naturally ventialted all year round

Horizontal distribution of mechanical ventilation. Services are exposed, passing through the webbing of the structural i beams on the ceiling

The distribution of the mechanical ventilation systems is contained largely within the exterior service cores. Ventilation units are located aboive the lift mechanisms of the four service towers. Only from these can all floors be reached. The units are split amongst the four towers for more efficient circulation and to reduce the size of any one system. Mechanical ventilation of the main atrium is achieved via connections running across the expansive ceiling.

One of four service towers

Service distribution in up service towers in plan.