Nordic Life Science 1
“Because of all the technology, research faciliti
es are usually some of the most energy consuming buildings you have. But we’ve created an extensive monitoring system which turns off any unused research equipment and other unused energy outlets. On top of that we can store and reuse rainwater, thereby protecting the site from flooding during heavy rainfalls and cutting down water usage for watering and toilets. The building is also equipped with a total of 1500 m2 of solar panels,” says Mandrup Hansen. The tower’s relief façade is a movable copper clad brise-soleil. The copper elements reduce wind turbulence around the tower but primarily function as sunshades. They protect the sensitive research environment from overheating. The adaptable façade closes and opens in accordance with the movement of the sun around the tower over the course of the day. Furthermore, all windows are fitted internally with a two-layer fabric screen to provide further shading and glare protection. One of the two layers allows about 50 percent of daylight to penetrate, while with the other the space can be completely darkened. Finding the balance of form and function crucial to a research environment, as well as creating a highly energy efficient building, has involved a series of challenges from a design perspective, concludes Mandrup Hansen. “A key has been never to compromise the overall architectural idea and functionality of the building, but always integrated with the aim of supporting the best thinkable work environment for its researchers.” NLS 90