MasudaNaoya1F Plan
2F Plan
3F Plan
4F Plan
5F Plan
6F Plan
Heating Strategy and Implementation
Given the project's location in Copenhagen, where winters are cold and sunlight hours are limited, the heating strategy is a primary focus. The building utilizes a geothermal heat pump system, leveraging the stable underground temperature to provide efficient heating. Additionally, high-performance radiant floor heating is integrated into office and exhibition spaces to enhance thermal comfort while minimizing energy consumption. The building envelope is designed with high insulation values, reducing heat loss and lowering the heating demand.
From an energy load calculation perspective, based on Copenhagen's climate and the building's about 25,000 sqft floor area, the estimated peak heating demand is around 15-20 W/m². This aligns with Danish low-energy building standards, ensuring efficient operation and occupant comfort.
Cooling Strategy and Implementation
Although cooling demand is relatively low due to the high latitude, passive cooling strategies are incorporated to maintain comfort in summer. The design optimizes natural ventilation through automated operable windows and strategically placed atriums, reducing reliance on mechanical cooling. Additionally, high-performance glazing with dynamic shading systems minimizes solar heat gain, further reducing cooling loads.
For active cooling, a low-energy air distribution system using chilled beams provides localized cooling while maintaining high energy efficiency. Given the mild summers, the cooling demand is estimated to be below 10 W/m², allowing for reduced mechanical cooling operation.
Special HVAC System Challenges
- Duct Routing and Structural Interference
- The design prioritizes concealing ducts within the ceiling, but this resulted in conflicts with structural steel beams and required careful coordination.
- At crossover points where supply and exhaust ducts intersect, ceiling heights had to be adjusted to maintain clearance.
- Balancing Passive and Active Strategies
- The building is designed to be Net Zero Energy (ZEB), requiring an optimized balance between passive heating/cooling and mechanical HVAC systems.
- The solar panel system on the rooftop provides renewable energy, but the challenge was ensuring a seamless integration with the geothermal and radiant heating systems.
- Ventilation Efficiency in Mixed-Use Spaces
- The mix of office and exhibition spaces required different ventilation strategies, leading to a zoned HVAC approach with demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) to optimize air exchange rates.
Your Design Journal entries for this module should highlight your design thinking and analysis results that influenced your decisions about:
- your overall HVAC system strategy
- your heating strategy and how you implemented it in your design
- your cooling strategy and how you implemented it
- any special HVAC system challenges that you encountered