The advanced and highly energy-efficient building will be used by the City of Helsinki Environment Centre and the Department of Environmental Sciences of the University of Helsinki.
Construction work of the eco-building will begin from April 1, 2010, and the building is expected to be completed by June, 2011. The value of Lemminkäinen Talo Oy’s fixed price contract is an estimated EUR10.5 million ($14 million).
With over 6,000 square meters of floor area, the five-story building will have office space for 240 workers as well as meeting rooms, exhibition spaces and cafeterias, and will be built on the outskirts of the Viikki district. The eco-building has been designed by Architect Kimmo Huismanen, Ph.D. of Ab CASE Consult Ltd.
The energy consumption of the building will be significantly less than that required for inclusion in the highest energy efficiency class (class A). The design energy consumption of the building is 70 kWh/m²/year, which is less than half the energy consumption rate of a conventional office building. The design value will be achieved by means of efficient heat recovery, a tight building envelope and minimized consumption of electricity. The building will obtain geothermal cooling energy from heat pumps installed in on-site boreholes. The technical building systems will be automated so that energy consumption is reduced at night after the workers leave.
The building will have a double façade, the outer skin being equipped with solar panels. Additional panels will be installed on the roof as well. Part of the building’s energy needs will be met by locally produced wind power.
