The project was driven by the increasing popularity of office buildings with glazed facades coupled with a need for improved understanding of how these perform in the Scandinavian climate.
During the nineties, office buildings with glass facades were popular for their transparent appearance and ready access to daylight. It was found that by application of double skin glass facades offered better insulation and more efficient solar shading.
Although the double-skin facade technique has been applied in Scandinavia in recent years, particularly in Stockholm, where examples include the Kista Science Tower and the offices of ABB and Nokia, more knowledge was required about their performance in the Swedish context.
Virtual building to test different scenarios
The WSP project began with a virtual reference building to simulate the environmental performance of typical construction methods. The building construction, HVAC system and control system were described in great detail. Then different scenarios were tested, varying the building’s orientation, architecture, floor plan, control set points and glazed facade elements such as window type and size and shading devices. A sensitivity analysis based on the simulated alternatives was carried out to assess occupant comfort and energy efficiency. Then a complex and detailed model for life cycle cost analysis of the building was developed.
WSP managed the project team of 13 experts from Lund University of Technology, Skanska and WSP, who also bring specialist knowledge of glazing and HVAC systems. The project was supported by Pilkington, Emmaboda (Saint-Gobain), the Swedish Glass Trade Association (Glasbranschföreningen) and Skanska Sweden.