SUSTAINABLE COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS
Thesis Topic- Multi-Purpose Hub comprising of Commercial and Recreational Spaces
Case Studies- 1. Federal Center South Building 1202- Seattle, USA.
2. The Edge, Amsterdam
Name-Rohan. Santosh. Narvekar
Roll No- 37 Final Year B. Arch
Academy Of Architecture (Aided)
Building Construction Case Study-1: Federal Center South Building 1202- Seattle, USA.
Project Specification:
SIZE: Three-story, 209,000 SF office building
PROJECT COST: $72 million
LOCATION: Seattle, Washington
CONSTRUCTION START DATE: July 2010
COMPLETION DATE: October 2012
TENANT: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
OWNER: U.S. General Services Administration
Federal Center South Building 1202 – Seattle, USA
The building is a renovated warehouse turned into the northwest regional headquarters for the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers. The collaborative workplace environment is not the only prominent feature of the
building which was re-designed with cost-effectivity and sustainability in mind. It re-uses timber from the
non-historical 1202 warehouse and employs active and passive systems to save energy. It is protected from
the sun via horizontal shades, vertical blades, and internal window coverings. Natural ventilation and
Federal Center South Building 1202 – Seattle, USA
daylighting are sufficiently supplied to the building’s interior, which is also provided with rainwater
harvesting and natural drainage system. The building has managed to achieve a Gold LEED certificate, and it
is currently one point below platinum.
EXTERIOR CLADDING MATERIALS AND AESTHETICS:
• Exposed diagrid structure exemplifies USACE and “Building Strong”
• Stainless steel shingle meets project’s aesthetic, performance and
budget requirements
• Exterior shading elements contribute detail and precision
• All design elements are modular and systematic
TYPE OF FOUNDATION: PILE FOUNDATION
The foundations themselves also integrate different systems. Because
the building sits on sedimentations of soil, its piles reach 150 feet deep.
Not content to devote that material and energy to a single purpose, the
team coupled the piles with hydronic loops for geothermal systems.
Construction Technology mainly Comprises of:
• R.C.C
• Steel Components
• Glass/Curtain Walls
• Aluminum Composite Sheets
• Timber
• Stone
Building Construction Case Study-1: Federal Center South Building 1202- Seattle, USA.
The design team undertook extensive massing studies, and determined that an oxbow-shape
plan would allow sunlight to reach the majority of the interior spaces, while limiting the western
exposure that would drive up solar heat gains.
FLOOR PLAN LEVEL-2
FLOOR PLAN LEVEL-3
LONGITUDINAL SECTION THROUGH THE STRUCTURE
Building Construction Case Study-1: Federal Center South Building 1202- Seattle, USA.
CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY:
ACP Sheets for external cladding
Steel Truss
Toughened Glass for Roofing supported on Steel Purlins
Wooden finish cladding for internal walls (since timber is
also reused for structural members of the structure
internally)
Landscaping
Steel Deck
Steel Beams for long spans
Carpet Flooring prefered for Office areas and
Conference Spaces
Typical Office Block with its Elements of Workspace
Building Construction Case Study-1: Federal Center South Building 1202- Seattle, USA.
ENHANCING INTERIORS OF THE STRUCTURE
• Workspace open to daylight and views
• Landscape connects to site
Office Workspaces:
• Efficient envelope ratio
• Ventilation pathways
Individual offices and open-plan workspaces line the perimeter of the new
building, giving everyone plenty of exposure to daylight. To boost light levels,
offices and conference rooms are located around a skylight, garden-filled
atrium.
The Internal atrium acts as
a space of collaboration to
the surrounding offices
and creates good
Exterior Facades of the building with louvered ambience to encourage
openings to allow natural light and ventilation in the working, also most of the
corridors also the keen use of materials like timber, offices receive natural
glass, steel etc for more sustainable design. lights it add on to the
sustainable factor of the Glass atriums supported on steel members of
structure. truss and roofing in the internal spaces of the
building in coordination with the spill out
spaces with landscaping for a good working
environment in the offices,
Rain Water Harvesting in the Structure:
Natural ventilation and daylighting are sufficiently supplied to the building’s interior, which is also provided with rainwater
harvesting and natural drainage system
Building Construction Case Study-2: The Edge, Amsterdam
Project Overview:
The Edge is located in Zuidas, Amsterdam and is currently considered the greenest building in the
world, according to the BREEAM green building certification scheme. The building has been given the
highest sustainability score ever awarded: 98.4%.
This building proposes a new way of working: using information technology to shape both the way
people work as well as the spaces in which they do it.
The Edge uses Iot connectivity to maximize comfort and energy efficiency.
Location
• Gustav Mahlerlaan 2930-2970, The Zuidas district, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Project Type: Commercial Building
The Edge, Zuidas, Amsterdam
Project team
• Client and project management: OVG Real Estate
• Architect design: PLP Architecture Ltd (London) / OZ Architect
• Structural engineering: Van Rossum Consulting Engineers
Time schedule
• Design: 2010-2011
• Construction: 2012 - 2014
• Completion date: 11 December 2014
• Official opening: 29 May 2015
Building use and area
The Edge is a 15-storey office building with a north-facing atrium area which contains a restaurant,
café, meeting and reception centre and mini-shop. The atrium covers the building (58m high) with an
inspiring form and orientation, making not only the work environment open with natural light even on
grey days, but also serving as a part of the ventilation system, ensuring that the used air from the
offices is eliminated at the top.
Plot area: 6,323 sq.m (2,809 sq.m for R.G) Construction Technology undergone for the execution of this project
comprises of:
• RCC Construction
• Steel Components
• Glass Facades
• Aluminum Framework
• Timber etc
Building Construction Case Study-2: The Edge, Amsterdam
Views of Atrium:
OFFICES FLOOR PLAN
Folded on the diagonal, the facade of the north-facing atrium comprises 70 percent glass,
allowing the interior to benefit from indirect sunlight without overheating. The offices are
located in a U-shaped block on the building’s east, south, and west sides, their large floor plates
Interior Spaces of the Structure: arranged around the atrium for maximum daylight penetration throughout.
Spill out spaces for individuals Meeting spaces for Office people Internal Atrium facing North which corridors alongside
Building Construction Case Study-2: The Edge, Amsterdam
FEATURES OF SUSTAINABILITY: Smart lighting
The lighting system is an Ethernet-powered LED lighting system called LoE (Light over
The Edge is orientated and shaped in such a way that the power of the sun is optimally utilized. The
Ethernet) developed in cooperation with Philips that results in an energy consumption of
glass façade ensures that daylight can be benefited from as long as possible, without the heat of the
3.9 W/m2 for lighting instead of the conventional 8 W/m2. This connected lighting system
sun influencing the temperature inside. The south side of the building is equipped with super-
has a range of around 30,000 sensors that register daylight, occupancy, movement,
efficient solar panels, which keep the heat out and the radiation absorbed when at its strongest.
humidity, temperature and CO2. The system also enables employees to use an application
on their smartphone or tablet to regulate the climate and light over their individual
workspaces.
Interactive Workspaces for Individuals which encourages business environment
The result is more than enough energy for the heating/cooling installation, all laptops and
PV production
smartphones in the building and all the electric powered vehicles, used by employees. The Edge is
• The Edge uses a total of more than 5,900 square metres of solar panels. The roofs over
considered a net zero-energy building because it can generate all the energy that uses.
the University of Amsterdam and the Hogeschool van Amsterdam spaces are laid out in
solar panels totaling over 4,100 square metres and of which are connected to the grid.
Next to this, the south façade of The Edge contains 720 square metres of solar panels
and the roof is covered with an additional 1,086 square metres of solar panels.
• The Edge uses a total of more than 5,900 square metres of solar panels. The on-site
production is provided by 720 square metres of solar panels on the south façade of the
Edge and another 1,086 square metres on the roof.
• The solar panels that cover the roof provide electricity for the aquifer thermal energy
storage which generates all energy required for heating and cooling the building. Solar
panels on the south façade provide enough sustainable electricity to power all
High insulation from a glass façade smartphones, laptops and electric cars
The building’s external glass façade measures 47 millimeters on average, which results in a
soundproof value that is 5 dB higher than is required by organization Bouwbesluit. The North
façades are highly transparent but use a thicker glass to dampen noise from the motorway. The
internal walls are designed to be soundproof as well.
Sustainable materials
95% of the materials used have a responsible and demonstrable origin. All wood in The Edge is
FSC(Forest Stewardship Council)-certified.
Solar Panels for Energy Generation
Optimized natural and mechanical ventilation
The atrium acts as a buffer between the workspace and the external environment. Excess ventilation
air from the offices is used again to cool the atrium space. The air is then ventilated back out
through the top of the atrium where it passes through a heat exchanger to make use of any warmth.
Glass Facades for
Cladding and Roofing
Building Construction Case Study-2: The Edge, Amsterdam
External façade features
• External glass façade thickness is 47 millimeters on average.
• The building is constructed with around 13,000 m2 of glass on the façades. The
glass with different shapes and dimensions is divided by horizontal rows of solid
aluminum-paneled spandrels.
• The façade of the north-facing atrium comprises 70% glass, allowing the interior to
benefit from indirect sunlight without overheating. The offices are located in a U-
shaped block on the building’s east, south and west sides, allowing these maximum
exposition.
• The east and west-facing façades are composed of 45% glass balanced by 55%
concrete, which provides thermal mass.
• The south facing façade is 40% glass but the concrete on this elevation has been
clad with photovoltaic panels.
This building section shows the invasion of natural light is introduced through the
North direction whereas the South facing façade consists mostly of Concrete, glass
and photovoltaic panels.
External Glass Façade Photovoltaic Panels
Aluminum-Paneled Spandrels South-West Glass Facade
Steel Roof Components
Envelope performance
Steel structure features
• The steel roof is designed so that the girders, spanning more than 30 m, look as slim as possible.
This has been achieved by placing the beams in a diagonal grid connection.
• The slender façade columns are made possible by using the two footbridges and horizontal
support. As a result of this, the “hanging” walkways are positioned as close as possible to the
façade. There is still enough space between the façade and walkways for the gondola of the
cleaner.
• The profile of the façade columns is 1000 mm by 240 mm and composed of welded steel plates.
• The beams are either constructed of a prefabricated single piece or when constructed on site,
made of two pieces.
