Poised to be a LEED Platinum-certified building, the new headquarters is expected to become Fremont’s first net zero green building. The building will include a three-storey atrium, which will bring in natural light to the interior of the space. The atrium, along with two corner towers, will act as a thermal stack ventilation tower.
To further reap the benefits of natural light, the building will have curtain wall, which will feature abundant glazing. This will bring in natural light into the interiors and reduce dependence on artificial lighting for illumination purposes. The curtain wall will feature operable windows, which will serve as a natural ventilator.
The lobby of the building will feature a large canopy, which will be lined with BIPV panels consisting of thin film solar cells and photovoltaic inverters of 98% efficiency. The underside of the panels will have triangular-shaped high light trapping-based back reflectors, which will increase panels’ efficiency and provide shading for the lobby and green roof below. Additional on-site green power will be generated by means of wind-turbines, featuring Delta’s bird-friendly technology.
The heating or cooling in the enclosed conference rooms or offices will be provided by means of ceiling diffusers and active chilled beams. Active chilled beams will be suspended a short distance from the ceiling and supplied by pipes of conditioned water that create convection.
The indoor air conditioning system of the building features a ground source heat pump which uses a loop field of pipes underground that transfers heat to or from the ground to boost efficiency and reduce the operational costs of heating and cooling systems. The system takes advantage of the fact that during winter the temperature underground is higher than the temperature indoors. In summer, the temperature underground is lower than the temperature indoors. This results in energy-saving for the facility. The water used by the facility is also 100% recyclable.
The building is aligned with true north. The building’s façade will act as per its orientation, which will aid in minimising solar heat gain. The southern side has horizontal brise-soleil, while deep recessed windows will feature on the eastern and western side of the building.
The headquarters’ envelope will incorporate R-30 insulation in the walls, R-45 insulation in the roof, and spectrally selective glazing. To further reduce heat island effect, the building will have a green roof.
The other sustainable initiatives to be incorporated at the headquarters will consist of a water retention pond, native low water consumption plants, and a ground source heat pump. The company plans to use its own solar panels, inverters, wind turbines, LED lighting, electric vehicle chargers, displays, motor drives and other products in the building.
