Livegreen Blog
A carbon-neutral nursery. Sustainability for infants
by Christiane Burklein on Wednesday, 8th February 2012 in Sustainable Architecture
In a garden where various Danish landscapes are represented in miniature, with sand and trees, is a compact triangular construction with a green roof and solar installations: the “Solhuset”: or sunhouse, a nursery.
The building’s longer walls face southeast and southwest, where big windows and openings in the roof let in 3 times more light than in standard buildings, while at the same time ensuring a good indoor climate.
Built as a carbon-neutral home with high performance windows and insulation, it exceeds Danish construction standards, saving energy.
With the aid of the latest technologies (50 square metres of solar panels for heating and hot water, 250 square metres of photovoltaic panels producing 8kW hour/m2 per year, heat pump, geothermal energy, energy recovery and storage and thermal activation of the mass) the building truly cuts its environmental impact substantially.
Concrete, used in the floors and walls, requires a lot of energy in its preparation but offers the benefit of “storing heat” for a long time. The outside of the building is covered with steam-treated wood.
The roof is covered with sedum, a robust perennial plant which retains water and provides acoustic and thermal insulation while cooling the solar panels, which work better at a lower temperature: an eco-efficient, aesthetically correct solution.
Christensen & Co architects of Copenhagen have designed a structure that will provide children with an important form of imprinting, allowing them to experience environmental sustainability in a playful natural form.
Design: Christensen & Co architects http://www.cco.as in collaboration with Hellerup Byg (Contractor) and Ramboll DK (Engineers)
Location: Hoersholm, Denmark
Photographs: ©Adam Moerk
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