The Green Touch for Delhi’s New Recreation Center and Solarium Garden

It is now beyond doubt that sustainability and energy-efficiency are being given their due importance in India, and this importance is manifesting itself in green architecture all over the country. Joining this bandwagon is a new Recreation Centre and Solarium in Delhi, to be inaugurated later this year. With all the eco-friendly aspects that are to be incorporated into its design, this Recreation centre is likely to stand out among other similar buildings.

The structure is sprawled over five acres of land, incorporating a green design that also provides a habitat of luxury in the indoors as well as the outdoors. The building is also unique for the fact that the environment created is conducive to outdoor activity throughout the year. This design has been provided by Mumbai-based architecture firm Prem Nath & Associates.

The Solarium, spread over 1 million square feet will be a multi-use destination complete with a farm, pool, gymnasium, aquatic centre and a library, all under a canopy made of enormous solar panels, a grey-water system, and passive cooling/heating design.

Glass with Aluminum

The entire structure is formed from glass and aluminum sections. Double-glazed low-e glass is held in place with high-strength horizontal fiber glass tendons and aluminum structural members. The clean construction gives way to an equally streamlined interior that is rendered clutter-free. The temperature inside the structure is regulated to meet the requirements of occupant comfort as well as to optimize conditions for the growth of plants.

The aluminum frame was designed to make the structure homogenous, lightweight and structurally stable. Photovoltaic solar panels on the roof work with the low-e glass to control temperature and reduce energy consumption, and rotating louvers on the roof help flood the indoors with ample fresh air. Meanwhile, motion sensors and LUX intensity meter sensors control lighting for efficient energy consumption.

The high gloss aluminum finish, the envelope of green landscape, the manicured lawns and the local tree plantations keep privacy intact. Trees have been illuminated with floor and trunk mounted lighters, concealed cleverly for glare-free lighting, and there are various theme indoor gardens with fruit tree plantations, sculptures, and pathways curbed with flowering plants. Some rare and exotic species of plants have been planted inside the structure as well as in the garden. Irrigation requirements within the complex will be partially fulfilled with recycled water.







Structural Glazing in Viertel Zwei Facade

Vienna, Austria will now be home to “Viertel Zwei” (which translates to “Quarter Two”) - an exclusive living space covering 40,000 square metres, comprising modern office & residential buildings and spacious gardens. At the core of the quarter will be a 5,000 square metre lake, on which will levitate a part of the office building “Plus Zwei” (Plus Two), like an oversized block of glass.

The building, designed by Viennese architect Martin Kohlbauer, consists of 7,200 square metres of façade glazed with solar control glass, providing the interiors with natural light and protecting the excessive ingress of heat at the same time. The facade is a W90 panel design and, therefore, fulfils the “fire protection requirements W90 for non-load bearing exterior wall components” in order to prevent fire spreading from one storey to another.

Daylight and Solar Protection

The glass used on “Plus Zwei” fulfils the twin demands of aesthetics and functionality.. The energy-saving property of solar control glazing automatically lowers the operational costs of the building and protects the environment. The extremely low solar factor (g-value = 27% as per EN 410) prevents the interiors from heating up excessively on hot summer days, thereby reducing the costs for air-conditioning and eliminating the need for external mechanical shade systems. Nonetheless, a relatively large amount of daylight still floods the rooms (tL= 50%), so that electrical light is only needed fairly late into the day. During winters, the extremely low Ug-value of 1.1 W/m2K as per EN 673 provides effective heat insulation.

Source: http://www.nbmcw.com