Dissertation case study -UN Green Headquarters in Copenhagen

One case study that has been given an award-winning is the UN Green Headquarters in Copenhagen. Solar panels, rainwater tanks and a sea water cooling system has been installed in the green building office complex. 

The new UN city complex in Copenhagen has been promoted for its environmental sustainable trough the green building with a platinum-certificate of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). (denmark.dk. N.p., 2017)

Adam Mørk /3XN, 2017. UN Green Headquarters. [Photographer] (UN Green Headquarters in Copenhagen).

The included sustainable criterias that were included in the UN City were, the building materials, reducing waste, minimizing impact on surrounding ecosystems and promoting indoor air quality, energy efficiency and smart water use. During the construction wood was being harvested from sustainable -managed forests that is located 800 kilometres away from the building site, to reduce emissions from transport. UN City limit its amount of traditional energy that is used for heating, cooling, lighting and ventilation for its every day use. (denmark.dk. N.p., 2017)

The rainwater that will be captivated in UN City, is being used to flush its toilets of an average 5,300 times a day for a whole year. The reuse of rainwater has provided more than 60 percent reduction of total water use in the building's toilet, kitchens and showers. An innovative way that they have regulated the building's indoor temperature is with a system that is pumping seawater to use it for cooling system in UN City, solar shades are also installed on the building's exterior roofing that can open and close to trap or reflect heat from the sun. (denmark.dk. N.p., 2017)

With a 1,400 solar panels generating electricity for UN City, wind energy makes up more than 35 percent of the additional power stated off the grid. With 1,200 employees that are in the building use less than half as much energy as a similar sized office building. (denmark.dk. N.p., 2017) This officially results the amount of energy saving that is being consumed within this project investment.

This case study managed to include a lot of innovative systems that has made a whole building function with its best economy saving from the energy efficiency. One clever idea that I really liked and thought it would be ideal for the hot summer season  in Malta was, the system of the seawater pump that then it was used for cooling system. In addition to my thought is, since in advance the Maltese island is surrounded with seawater we (as designers) may use this function system in our buildings.


Reference: 
denmark.dk. N.p., 2017. 'UN opens Green Headquarters in Copenhagen'. Available at: <http://denmark.dk/en/green-living/sustainable-projects/un-opens-green-headquarters-in-copenhagen> [Accessed on 27 Feb 2017]