10.7.2013

Instituto de Ecología de Holanda

El Instituto de Ecología de Holanda, uno de los institutos de investigación de la Real Academia Holandesa de Artes y Ciencias (KNAW), estudia el efecto de la naturaleza en todas sus formas. Es por lo tanto lógico que los procesos ecológicos y la dinámica de la naturaleza influyan en el diseño y en la construcción de sus nuevas instalaciones. La idea era diseñar un edificio no solo cómodo y funcional, sino que también se integre con los alrededores circundantes. ¿Una tarea difícil? Con visión, creatividad y perseverancia, todo es posible.

Hace algunos años, NIOO decidió fusionar las actividades de sus dos sedes en un nuevo edificio sostenible. El director de NIOO, el profesor Louise Vet, inspirado en los principios Cradle (C2C), quería que el diseño y la construcción de su edificio fuera un paso más allá de los edificios sostenibles construidos hasta la fecha en los Países Bajos. La sostenibilidad se mide generalmente por la eficiencia energética, el concepto C2C, sin embargo, en este caso se plantean nuevos criterios. La pregunta no es ¿qué podemos hacer para limitar los daños al medio ambiente, sino más bien cómo podemos hacer una valiosa contribución para el medio ambiente? El principio rector C2C es que la producción debe estar libre de residuos. En el modelo original, todo lo que hacemos y dejamos atrás se regenera como materias primas para su uso en el medio natural o en nuevos productos. Los otros dos principios fundamentales son: el uso de energía solar y celebrar la biodiversidad. Los diseñadores se instruyeron para mantener el edificio lo más cerca como sea posible a esta filosofía.

El proceso
NIOO-KNAW no restringió la elección del arquitecto y la empresa constructora a lo que podrían llamarse los partidos «verdes». Según Louise Vet, involucrar arquitectos y constructores en el proceso tiene un impacto social significativo. «Se amplía el círculo de conocimientos y se establece un ejemplo inspirador para los demás.» Después de haber obtenido una licitación europea, NIOO-KNAW, asociado con Claus y Kaan Architects, encargó el diseño de un edificio «inteligente», amplio y luminoso, y al Instituut voor Ecologie soluciones sostenibles e innovadoras. El diverso equipo de diseño, bajo la dirección del Archisupport, sumó a la empresa constructora Bouwbedrijf Berghege, a consultores de ingeniería y energía. Con el asesoramiento y el apoyo financiero de Agentschap NL y la provincia de Gelderland, el equipo de diseño se puso a trabajar, empleando un enfoque que combina el aprendizaje sobre la marcha y la aplicación de lo aprendido.

Una vez definido el diseño, el siguiente paso fue abordar el proceso de la construcción, lo que planteó un nuevo conjunto de preguntas y provocó nuevas discusiones. No menos importante era la puesta en marcha del edificio. ¿Qué materiales debemos utilizar, qué tipo de suelo, ¿cómo podemos generar energía?, ¿cómo se cierra el circuito de las aguas residuales, y que hacemos con el calor residual? La mayoría de las partes implicadas en este proceso estuvieron dispuestas a ampliar y fortalecer sus conocimientos en materia de sostenibilidad, lo que a menudo dio lugar a intercambios inspiradores de ideas y soluciones. En su calidad de contratista de la construcción, BB analizó periódicamente el proyecto con los constructores, con el fin de que todo el equipo tuviera un fuerte concepto de los pros de la construcción sostenible y estuviera al tanto de todas las decisiones. Para apoyar este proceso, la constructora creó un boletín informativo y un archivo de construcción (www.berghege.nl). Otro aspecto singular de este proyecto es que todas las partes se unieron en un grupo de trabajo para coordinar la comunicación tanto durante el proceso de diseño como en la construcción.

Un edificio que da vida
El edificio NIOO-KNAW nunca estará «terminado». Siempre habrá espacio para una futura mejora y para la experimentación. El edificio refleja las dinámicas que se encuentran en la naturaleza y seguirá adaptándose a una nueva comprensión y a nuevas tecnologías. Para facilitar el desarrollo de eco-tecnología, NIOO-KNAW está alentando a las empresas a poner en práctica sus ideas y aplicaciones para la sostenibilidad ambiental.

Llamar a las armas
Louise Vet da un mensaje claro a los interesados: «¡Mira cómo lo estamos haciendo y cómo sacamos provecho de ella!», porque no sólo tiene un sentido ecológico, sino también tiene un sentido económico. Las inversiones pueden ser costosas, es cierto, pero gracias a las numerosas innovaciones y a un intercambio eficaz entre los sistemas, el ahorro a largo plazo será mayor que los gastos iniciales. La ventaja en este caso es que la responsabilidad final recae en una sola parte. NIOO-KNAW gestionará el proceso y, como futuro usuario, podrá disfrutar de los frutos de su trabajo.

Original Text in English

Learning from nature
The Netherlands Institute of Ecology, one of the research institutes of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), studies the effect of nature in all its many forms. It is, therefore, only fitting that ecological processes and the dynamics of nature themselves now influence the design and construction of their new premises. The brief was to design a building that is comfortable and functional but that also blends into the surrounding environs. A tall order? With vision, creativity and  perseverance, anything is possible.

Cradle to Cradle
Some years ago, NIOO decided to merge activities from two of its locations into one new sustainable building. NIOO director, Professor Louise Vet, was inspired by the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) principles and wanted to take the design and construction of their building one step further than the most sustainable buildings built to date in the      Netherlands. Sustainability is generally measured by energy efficiency; the C2C concept, however, poses new criteria. The question is not what can we do to limit environmental damage, but rather how can we make a valuable contribution to the surrounding environment? The C2C guiding principle is that production should be waste free. In the cradle to cradle model, everything we make and leave behind is regenerated as raw materials for use in the natural environment or in new products. The other two main principles are: use solar energy and celebrate biodiversity. The designers were instructed to keep as close to this philosophy as possible.

Process
NIOO-KNAW did not restrict its choice of architect and construction company to what you might term ‘green’ parties. According to Louise Vet, involving mainstream architects and builders in the process has a significant social impact. “You widen the circle of expertise and set an inspiring example for others.” Having secured a European tender, NIOO-KNAW teamed up with Claus and Kaan Architects, and commissioned the design of a ‘smart’ building, one that is light and airy, ergonomic, easy to navigate and innovative Nederlands Instituut voor Ecologie in sustainable solutions. A diverse design team was put together under the leadership of Archisupport, which included the construction company Bouwbedrijf Berghege, DGMR Engineer Consultancy and DWA installation and energy consultants (the complete list of participating parties can be found at the end of this article). With the advice and financial support of Agentschap NL (formerly SenterNovem) and the Province of Gelderland, the design team got down to work, employing an approach that combined learning as you go along and implementing what you have learnt.

Having clarified the design brief, the next stage was to tackle the construction process, which posed a new set of questions and sparked fresh discussions. Not least of all from those commissioning the building. Which materials should we use, what kind of flooring, how do we generate energy, how do we close the wastewater circuit, and what do we do with the residual heat? Louise Vet is keen to share her take on things with her collaborators and welcomes their input. The majority of the parties involved in this process are keen to expand and strengthen their expertise in sustainability, which often gives rise to inspiring exchanges of ideas and solutions. In its capacity as construction contractor, Bouwbedrijf Berghege regularly discusses the project with the builders in order that the entire team gets a strong sense of the dos and don’ts of sustainable construction and is up-to-date on what stage everyone is at. To support this process, Bouwbedrijf Berghege has created a newsletter and a construction file (www.berghege.nl). Another aspect quite unique to this project is that all the parties come together in a workgroup to coordinate communication on the design and construction.

Energy
Efforts towards energy efficiency cover two areas: reducing consumption and sustainable production, both of which lead to a reduction in CO2 emissions. A great deal of progress has been made in recent years in energy efficient construction. Take for example, the sustainable lighting concept. Following DWA’s advice, the building uses presence detection and daylight regulation switching. This is a system that regulates the artificial brightness according to the amount of daylight at a particular given moment. LED lighting is also being used where possible, inside the building as well as in the greenhouses and on-site. Furthermore, a hybrid ventilation system is being installed. The design encourages natural ventilation and thermal migration through the walls. Mechanical ventilation is only enabled based on CO2 detection.

A trial is being conducted with the company Suncycle to develop a new generation of energy-producing solar cells. The solar collector in the form of a sphere is cheaper and more efficient than traditional solutions and also provides heat. On the NIOO site, water will be used to check the cooling of these solar cells, the warm cooling water can then be used to heat greenhouses and bioreactors. The solar panels store the sun’s heat using High Temperature Storage (HTS). Besides the solar heat, the HTS also stores the heat released while generating cool energy and the excess heat from the building and the greenhouses. At a depth of 300 meters, the temperature storage is located in much deeper geological strata than ever before. The depth allows excess heat produced during the summer to be stored for use the following winter. This innovative application, developed by DWA and IF-Technology, produces energy savings of 70% to 80% and the Province of Gelderland and Agentschap NL have earmarked funds to launch it as a pilot project. The stored heat is delivered through pipes in the floors to the interior (concrete core activation).

The EPC calculations, performed by DGMR, show that on completion the building will consume over 50% less energy than the current maximum levels set out in the Dutch Building Act. These savings will increase in the coming years as new technologies like solar energy plants and solar cells are refined and applied on a larger scale.

Material
Claus and Kaan Architects has had to meet a number of stringent material specifications. The building has to be people and environmentally friendly, made from renewable raw materials and economically produced without any harmful emissions. The hull is made of durable concrete without any artificial additives and no sealant, solvents or such like were used in the process. They also took into consideration products that carry quality marks such as FSC and PVC-free certified materials. Using materials such as wood, glass, steel, flax, ground limestone and granular debris creates a streamlined building with an open and natural appearance. As DGMR puts it: “The design and choice of materials exude sustainability. No more needs to be said. The building speaks for itself”.

The flooring, notably in the laboratory, posed a particular challenge with regards to the set criteria. A common application of epoxy resin had to be rejected on account of its harmful effects. Eventually the architect came up with the solution of polishing the concrete floors, which though labour intensive, was a relatively simple procedure. The end result is a beautiful, tight-fitting floor that enables optimum distribution of heat and cooling energy through the concrete.

Water
The approach to recycling is most visible in the water circuits. The objective is to purify the waste water so that it can be discharged locally and is indeed of the same quality as drinking water. In connection with this, the client found a connection to the sewers unnecessary. Building permits, however, do not allow this. So, while there is a sewer, NIOO-KNAW would prefer not to use it. There are three different water circuits: rain water, domestic water (including water from laboratories) and waste water from the toilets. After purification (see below) the streams flow into a helophyte filter. Helophytes are aquatic plants such as reed and cattails, which remove contaminants from the waste water, thus reducing the ecological impact. The purified water then flows into a pond and the open ditches in the surrounding area. Another option is to pass water through the soil, pump it up and reuse it for flushing toilets, for example.

Waste = food
A truly complete recycling process is one that generates no waste. In treating all waste as food, you create an ecological system that mirrors those found in nature. This is one of the main principles of the Cradle to Cradle philosophy. Based on this principle, a system is being developed for the NIOO-KNAW building that retrieves valuable nutrients from faeces. This work is being carried out in collaboration with a commercial company, DeSah BV. The system begins with the toilet. Vacuum toilets, a unique concept in an office building, use a minimal amount of water. The biomass is then passed into a fermenter, where part of it is converted into biogas, thereby linking the sanitation system to the energy system. Valuable minerals such as phosphates can be recovered to be used as agricultural fertilizers. The final stages of water purification will involve an alga cultivation system and a helophyte filter.

Biodiversity
The NIOO-KNAW building will have a green roof. That goes without saying given that roof vegetation filters water and air and aids temperature control. However, NIOO-KNAW is taking it one step further. Together with Wageningen University research is being conducted into how green roofs can contribute to sustaining the variety in species of plants and animals. The Ministry of Agriculture has awarded NIOO-KNAW an incentive prize to develop this project in the interests of saving endangered species of plants listed under the European Habitats Directive.

The site is being constructed in harmony with the surrounding environment, where biodiversity is encouraged. The site will offer prime conditions in the future to experiment with technology that generates power from living plants. The process did, however, highlight the need for greater practical advice in relation to biodiversity. Fortunately, NIOOKNAW possesses a great deal of in-house expertise and cooperates with bodies such as Heg en Landschap (hedge and landscape foundation), the Dutch Butterfly Conservation and the Netherlands Society for the Protection of Birds (VBN).

Integrated approach
Materials, water, energy, waste, and vegetation: these are not separate entities. According to Bouwbedrijf Berghege, what makes the NIOO-KNAW project so special is that they are not striving to be the first, the best, the smartest or the most innovative in one specific aspect of sustainability, but to integrate a range of aspects. This poses a complex challenge, or course, but it also brings great rewards. Linking the sanitation system to the energy system is a unique process and promotes the effective use of what was previously billed as ‘waste’. A floor without plasticizers has also been shown to optimize the concrete core activation system. The benefits of a green roof are being combined with the principles of biodiversity.

For example, residual heat can be stored long-term for future use. These are examples of ecoeffective design where the focus is not only on making efficient use of separate systems, but also on creating an effective link between the systems and residual flows. The extent to which this integral vision has been achieved in the Netherlands is second to none.

A building that breathes life 
The NIOO-KNAW building will never be ‘finished’. There will always be room for improvement and experimentation in the future. The building mirrors the dynamics found in nature and will continue to adapt to new understandings and new technologies. To aid the development of eco-technology, NIOO-KNAW is encouraging companies to implement their ideas and applications for environmental sustainability and the Cradle to Cradle method.

A wish list for the future has already been compiled: electricity from plants, identifying the most effective algae, the most appropriate LED lighting, sewage separation, treating water to produce quality drinking water, producing energy instead of consuming … The list is endless!

Call to arms
Louise Vet gives out a clear message to interested parties: “Look at how we’re doing it and capitalize on it!” For not only does it make ecological sense, it also makes economic sense. Investments can be costly, this is true, but thanks to numerous innovations and an effective exchange between the systems, the long-term savings will outweigh the initial expenses. The advantage here is that final responsibility lies with just one party. NIOO-KNAW will manage the process and, as future user, will be able to enjoy the fruits of its labour.

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