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Buildings
Denmark has instituted very aggressive measures to increase building efficiencies, and reduce heating and cooling loads. Current national Danish energy codes mandate an energy intensity of 70 kwh/m2 (22,190 BTU/sf) for commercial buildings, with plans to reduce this limit to 45 kwh/m2 (14,265 BTU/sf) by 2005. For comparison, in 1999 the U.S. average was 85,000 BTU per sf (http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/consumptionbriefs/cbecs/cbecs_trends/siteintdetail.html).

Nykredit Building - 1 The Nykredit building is home to one of the leading financial services providers in Denmark. The location of the building, near the harbor, was chosen for more than just the beautiful view. The cold harbor water is used to cool the offices, after which it is returned to the channel. This system, together with natural ventilation, dramatically reduces the energy needed for cooling. (photo by Steve McConnell, NBBJ) Nykredit Building - 1
Nykredit Building - 2 The Nykredit building consists of two separate structures, both enclosed within a single double enevelope shell and connected with a large central atrium. The atrium also contributes to optimal comfort. The double glazed facades to the north and south of the atrium have glass sections at the top and bottom which open to provide natural ventilation. The glass roof also has sections which open to provide natural ventilation and smoke ventilation. During periods when it is not possible to use natural ventilation there are two ventilation units to guarantee an optimal indoor climate. (photo by Jim Mueller, Vulcan) Nykredit Building - 2
Nykredit atrium The sweeping interior of the Nykredit building is illuminated with large skylights, in order to reduce the interior lighting requirements. (photo by Denise Fong, Candela) Nykredit atrium
Nykredit facade The glass facade of the Nykredit building is a double envelope, to minimize noise and provide greater thermal insultation. The HVAC system (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) is designed to control the blinds and the windows in the facade. The blinds are divided into separate sections, one for each different facade, and are adjusted individually by the light intensity - the blinds automatically come down when the incoming daylight is too strong and they go up again as daylight diminishes. The entire blind system also functions as a climate shield. When the outside temperature and the light intensity is low the blinds automatically come down to maintain warmth in the atrium and offices during the night. (photo by Denise Fong, Candela) Nykredit facade
DR Byen heating and cooling The DR Byen building, now under construction in Copenhagen, will produce most of its cooling through an innovative deep water storage system. The winter cold is stored in a thermally and hydraulically balanced porous groundwater aquifer, at a depth of approximately 65 feet. The ground water is cooled down to 2 to 3 degrees C by using free cooling (cooling by means of an air cooler) in the winter, and the water is returned to the underground storage. The ground water moves so slowly - and the ground insulates so well - that the water keeps cold for months. By undercooling the ground water the system can almost double the cooling effect of the ground water in the summer. The building also makes extensive use of natural ventilation, by pulling in cool night air through highly placed windows to precool the building on warm summer days. Utilizing groundwater and external air for cooling the building will save an estimated 75% in comparison with regular compression cooling. (figure by Cowi A/S) DR Byen heating and cooling
Copenhagen Opera Hall at night Surplus heat from the auditorium of the Royal Theatre's new Playhouse will be used to heat and cool parts of the building. The new building will use thermo-active concrete constructions, joint heating and cooling systems that utilize plastic tubes molded into concrete floors and ceilings. The dressing rooms, offices and foyer will be heated by utilizing the heat given off by projector lights at ceiling level, as well as body heat from the previous evening's audience. This is done by extracting the heat from the auditorium, converting it to liquid, and reusing it as floor heating the following day. (photo by Jim Mueller, Vulcan) Copenhagen Opera Hall at night
Copenhagen Opera Hall The location of the new Royal Theater Playhouse partially over the water will allow a heat pump to be employed that will alternately cool and heat water taken from Copenhagen Harbour. Using this method, the Playhouse will reduce energy consumption for cooling the building by an estimated 75-80 per cent - simply by using seawater and a heat pump. Copenhagen Opera Hall
Nicola building The Copenhagen headquarters of Nicola uses external fixed sunscreens on the facade of each building to reduce solar loads. This is an important design element to reduce summer cooling loads, even at the extreme northern latitiude of Copenhagen - 55 degrees N. (photo by Steve McConnell, NBBJ) Nicola building
Sun shades These external sun louvers are automatically adjusted to control the light levels enetering the Royal Library Building in Copenhagen. (photo by Denise Fong, Candela) Sun shades
Tango control panel This is a typical control panel found in each unit of the Tango Building condominiums in Malmö, Sweden. These units rely on sophisticated IT systems to create a highly intelligent building, with lighting, heating/cooling and security cycles customized and remotely configurable to meets the individual needs of the owners. The underlying philosophy is that the buildings should be highly energy efficient without necessitating any significant behaviorial changes on the part of the occupants - good building design and construction, as well as smart control of all electrical, mechanical and thermal systems does this automatically. (photo by Steve McConnell, NBBJ) Tango control panel

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