Daylight & Architecture

ELUX DAYLIGHT & DAYLIGHT ARCHITECTURE by Magazine V

Spring 2010 iSSue 13 Indoor CLimate 10 Euro

Spring 2010 iSSue 13 Indoor CLimate 10 Euro Daylight & Architecture Magazine by velux “ There is no point in s aving energy, if it jeopardise s the indoor climate ,” s ays Bjarne E Olesen, head of International Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy at the VELUX Technical University of Denmark (DTU). The discussion on energy often leaves out the fact that energy consumption in buildings is used to meet human needs; EDITORIAL to keep us warm and cosy in winter, cool and shaded in summer, serviced with electrical equipment and happy and healthy all year round. A good indoor climate, with generous daylight levels and adequate ventilation, is the key to making offices, schools and homes healthy. Yet there is great potential for improving the indoor climate in the world’s buildings: in the EU today, Change we spend 90 % of our time indoors. But up to 30% of the buildings neither contribute to nor provide a healthy indoor climate. the Indoor Can we do better, then? Can we design buildings that protect the global climate without compromising a healthy indoor climate? With our products and the way they are used, the VELUX Group wishes to encourage and contribute to Climate! more sustainable ways of creating buildings. We call it Sustainable Living - and call for a holistic view. We believe that buildings need to be designed for meeting basic human needs for health, well-being and comfort with maximum daylight and fresh air, and there must be specific focus on energy efficiency and sustainable energy sources. In this issue of D& A we seek to compile historic, scientific and human-based approaches as well as the architect’s and engineer’s points of view on indoor climate. Alan Powers, Philomena Bluyssen and Fred Pearce explore the history of indoor climate and recent scientific findings about what makes a good indoor climate. Anthropologist Bettina Hauge provides us with new research on how important fresh air is to people in their homes. We also give an account of what the Simonsen family experienced in their new home, Home for Life. The building is the first in the VELUX Model Home 2020 project and currently functions as a living experiment for a different approach to indoor climate. A scientific angle on the topic is the reportage from the International Centre for Indoor Environ- ment and Energy at DTU, where an international and interdisciplinary team of researchers is exploring what will make our buildings and indoor spaces more healthy and comfortable in the future. Finally, we present an interview with American architect and artist James Carpenter, who brings daylight into its essential role as the force that reveals architecture. Carpenter was awarded the Building Component Award by the VIL- LUM and VELUX Foundations for his work on daylight and its essential means to improving the qualit y of interior and urban space s and thus improving the qual - 1993 ity of life of human beings. avies n D

oh D&A cannot offer an all-encompassing formula to better indoor climate. Yet

hoto cient mea sure – c an boos t the health and well - being of people . That both are closely linked to windows is not a coincidence. Windows must be opened, they must provide a view, control fresh air and daylight, and be the important information and perception link to nature – as they have been ever since they were invented.

RACHEL WHITEREAD “HOUSE”. P Enjoy the read!

1 SPRING 2010 now 4 reflections 48 DAYLIGHTING details 54 VELUX Insight 68 VELUX PANORAMA 78 Issue 13 The architecture the indoor the house that gives ContENTS of the post-stupid climate change more than it takes environment

1 VELUX Editorial

2 Contents Architecture as climate design: R&Sie erects a The history of indoor climate in architecture is largely In well-insulated new buildings with air-tight exte- Can CO 2 neutrality and a healthy indoor climate be Multiple strategies and two objectives: health and 4 Now witch’s cottage overgrown by ferns in Paris, Fran- unexplored. On behalf of Daylight&Architecture, rior surfaces, there is a particular danger of the in- combined in a building? The experimental house well-being. How future buildings can provide their 8 Mankind and Architecture PART ONE cisco Mangado builds a light-filled swimming pool Alan Powers now por trays the most impor t ant lines door climate suffering as a result. How this can be called Home for Life in Lystrup near Århus is in- users with an optimum living, learning and work- Understanding the indoor environment: in Ourense. Peter Zumthor receives the Daylight of development for the first time: from mostly pas- avoided and what role psychology plays in the per- tended to answer this question. It is being occu- ing climate is illustrated by a mountain hotel in Nor- Putting people first Award of the Swiss VELUX Stiftung for his ther- sive mechanisms of climate regulation in traditional ception of climate is being researched by the Centre pied by a family of four for an entire year. Read how way, an engineer’s office in the Netherlands and a 18 Mankind and Architecture PART TWO mal bath in Vals. Also: Arabian bathing culture in architecture to the increasing ‘technisisation’ of for Indoor Environment and Energy of the Danish things are going so far. university building in Denmark. A breath of fresh air: Andalusia, brought to light by architect Francisco modernity – and back again. Technical University (DTU). Christian Bundegaard Windows in a more natural environment Ibáñez. visited the former workplace of Ole Fanger on be- 26 Daylighting half of Daylight&Architecture. Fresh air at home: A sensory experience and social ritual 40 Light 44 Reflections The architecture of the post- stupid environment 50 Daylighting Details The indoor climate change 58 VELUX Dialogue “Architecture is there to reveal the force of daylight” 64 VELUX Insight The house that gives more than it takes 74 VELUX Panorama 86 Books Reviews 88 Imprint

Mankind 8 DAYLIGHTING 30 AND Architecture Airing out at home: Understanding the A sensory experience indoor environment/ and social ritual A breath of fresh air

PART ONE For a long time now, researchers and engineers have been creating systems for regulating temperature, humidity and the quality of indoor air. Health problems indoors, however, continue to exist. In her article, Philomena Bluyssen discusses why indoor climate is more than the sum of it s par t s – and what a highly promising alternative could look like.

PART TWO As proven by research results again and again, day- The behaviour of people in terms of ventilation is de- light and fresh air are essential for people’s health termined by rituals and habits as well as by sensory and well-being. Fred Pearce has created a compi- perception and social factors. The Danish anthro- lation of the most impor t ant such result s and, in his pologist Bettina Hauge has carried out a detailed ar ticle, a sks what the effect s of this knowledge are examination for VELUX of these ‘fresh-air rituals’ for future indoor-climate planning. of her fellow human beings.

2 D&A SPRING 2010 Issue 13 3 The things that make architecture tick: now projects, events and selected new developments from the world of daylighting.

Rediscovered Baza is around 100 kilometres to the the most important constructional north east of Granada and during and spatial elements of the baths re- beauty the Middle Ages was under Arabian stored, above all the two destroyed rule, as was the whole of Andalu- vaults that were re-walled using the sia. The Arabian baths of Baza also historical brick technique on wooden come from the time of the Almohad soffit scaffolding. Floor s were added rule in the 13th century. The fact in accordance with original findings. that they would once again be one Glass panels that can be walked on of the main sightseeing attractions cover those parts of the former baths in this town of 20,000 inhabitants that have been retained until today. was completely unforeseeable just However, the elements that are prob - a few years ago. Over the centuries, ably most important for the spatial the surrounding earth had risen by impression are the numerous small almost three metres. A house had skylights that create the “stars-in- been built above the baths them- the-sky effect” so typical of Arabian selves and two of the brick vault s had baths. In order to allow them to at- been destroyed in the process. The tain their full effect, the architects neighbouring entrance courtyard in inserted eight glass roof openings the north had disappeared behind a into the reinforced concrete super- temporary-looking, unplastered con- structure. They are inclined at dif- crete wall. ferent angles in different directions Before Francisco Ibáñez and his so that – at least when the sunlight office could begin recons truc tion and hits them directly – hardly any two development of the site for tourism, of them produce the same light ef- archaeologists and demolition com- fect. The position and alignment of panies had to carry out some initial the roof openings were determined work. Ibáñez arranged for a protec- with the help of a simulation pro- tive construction made of fair-faced gram on a computer. The aim was to concrete to be built above the baths direct a s much direct sunlight a s pos- and the patio. A large revolving door, sible through the skylights of the old panelled with metal Corten steel brick vault and as little as possible strips, marks the entrance. Other- onto the fair-faced concrete walls of wise, the building is completely en- the new building. closed except for two “peepholes”.

From the entrance level at the da Al

height of the old barrel vault, the do visitor has to go down a staircase to reach the historical entrance court-

yard. Ibáñez Arquitectos only had a n Fern : hoto p

4 D&A Spring 2010 iSSue 13 5 Floating balcony Immersed in water and in soft, indi- Inside the swimming hall, all eyes are a field of tension between the room’s rect light, swimmers enjoy the water attracted to the ceiling, in spite of the shape, which is directed inwards , the with a view in the new university baths of Ou- generous glazing. The reason is that daylight coming in from the side and rense in northern Spain. The build- Mangado put a great deal of care and the view over the university campus ing created by Francisco Mangado effort into the design of this surface, of Ourense. is located at the point where a resi- which is the largest in the building. dential area and the campus of Vigo The swimming hall has a T-beam University touch each other. This lo- ceiling made of reinforced concrete. cation and the views it allows were Its joists ‘disappear’ behind regu- the characterising factors on which larly folded ceiling panelling made the design is directly based. Accord- of wood painted white. Interacting ing to the architects, they influenced with the white floor tiles and swim- “everything, from structure to layout ming pool, it reflect s the light coming and envelope”. from the side deep into the interior of The building rests on an impos- the hall. Additional light from above ing ground floor made of concrete comes through skylights integrated and panelled in natural stone and in the folds. The inner sides of these therefore rises high above the sur- skylights are panelled with plaster rounding terrain. Above ground, it board. Form and daylight lend struc- contains the swimming pool and ture to the room, endow it with dif- the associated building equipment. ferent atmospheres and directions. At the front ends of the pool, it ends In the inner area where the swim- in two eight-metre-long projections. ming hall is highest, there is the ung ft i

Like the main floor as a whole, they least amount of light. Here, every- t

are glazed on three sides. The four th thing concentrates on swimming. In S X &Sie R facade is completely closed, except contra st , the ceiling dips towards the : hoto for a single, large window. facades, as a result of which there is V ELU : hoto p p

Daylight Award goes to Urban witch’s cottage Peter Zumthor

The Swiss VELUX Stif tung, together a project of architect s Isa Stürm and For many years now, French archi- by means of a hose system. In front with the ‘ETH Wohnforum’ (housing Urs Wolf from Zurich. tects François Roche and Stéphanie of the windows, 300 mouth-blown forum) of the Eidgenössische Tech- This year, an honorary prize worth Lavaux (R&Sie) have been investigat- gla ss beakers were suspended in the nische Hochschule (ETH) in Zurich, 20,000 Swiss francs from the coming the potential common features woven wire construction whereby called the Daylight Award into being mittee of the VELUX Stiftung was of architecture and living organisms. their light reflections create fasci- in 2007. The prize is given for innova- also awarded for the first time. The Tent-like structures, which gradually nating effects in the interior of the tions in the use of daylight in archi- foundation awarded it to biochem- become overgrown with vegetation, building. R&Sie compare their new tecture and ha s remained the largest ist and neuro-scientist Anna Wirz- are a trademark of R& Sie. In ex treme building to a ‘witch’s cott age’. This is architectural prize in Switzerland. Justice, who had campaigned for a cases, the intention is to make the because of the chemical processes In January 2010, the Daylight better underst anding of the effect of architecture an inseparable and in- that take place inside and on the out- Award was conferred for the sec- daylight on people and health and for terwoven part of its environment to side of the house. The rainwater fall- ond time. Worth 100,000 Swiss the use of daylight as a therapy for such an extent that later generations ing on the roof is collected, routed francs, the main prize in 2010 went mental illnesses. will need aids such a s GPS in order to into the cellar, enriched with nutri- to a building that already belongs to Neutral experts from the media, find out where it actually is. ents and then pumped to the plants the ‘classics’ of contemporary ar- colleges and universities , research and In their ‘I’m lost in Paris’ project via hoses. Eight separate water cir- chitecture: the spa in Vals by Peter associations nominated 64 objects as well, R&Sie remain true to this cuits supply different parts of the Zumthor. In the view of the jury, the for this year’s Daylight Award. 48 of approach. The name says it all. Al- building’s envelope. This means that spa building is an outstanding exam- these buildings were finally submitted ready, the 130 square metre build- the amount of solution being sup- ple of what can be done with daylight by their architect s for the competition. ing in an interior courtyards of the plied can be individually adjusted in architecture: “The building is ex- In November 2009, an independent 3rd arrondissement can no longer be to the level of sunshine reaching the ceptional, already a ‘classic’. It is still jury assessed the submitted projects. recognised for what it is. The basic respective part of the facade and perceived as the most accomplished It s members were Prof. Colin Fournier construction is comparatively con- therefore to the actual amount of project in terms of daylight due to an (architect, Bartlett School of Archi- ventional. It is a two-storey building water needed by the plants. The fer- archaic, minimalistic layout and an tecture, London), Bob Gysin (archi- made of solid reinforced concrete, tiliser for the plant s is also created on outstanding interplay with light and tect, winner of the Daylight Award insulated with PU spray foam and the house. This is done by the glass darkness.” 2007), Prof. Dr. Anna Wirz-Justice then enclosed in geo-textiles. The beakers, in which the occupants cul- James Turrell can also be re- (Centre for Chronobiology, Univer- actual skin of the building consists tivate colonies of rhizobium nodule

e e garded as just such an artist. His sity of Basel), Prof. Dr. Jean-Louis of around 1,200 ferns in a woven bacteria. The characteristics of such t u a project entitled ‘Skyspace Piz Uter’ Scartezzini (Chairman of ICARE, wire mesh attached to the facades bacteria enable them to bind molecu -

P egen was one of two that received spe- EPFL, Lausanne), Roland Stulz (archi- and roof of the building. The roots of lar nitrogen – the most impor t ant nu -

r o

d cial recognition. The other one was tect , head of Novatlantis, E TH Zurich), the plants are not in the ground but trient for all cultivated plants. P e : : the ‘Kunst(Zeug)Haus’ in Rapperswil Kurt Stutz (VELUX foundation) and in small wire-mesh baskets and are

p hoto which was conver ted into a museum, Bodil Wälli (VELUX foundation). supplied with a nourishing solution

6 D&A Spring 2010 iSSue 13 7 Mankind Mankind as the focal point of architecture: By Philomena M. Bluyssen and architecture interior views of a corresponding relationship. Illustrations by Dan Perjovschi PART ONE How to achieve a healthy indoor environment has been an issue among architects, engineers and scientists for centuries. For most of this time, however, science has relied on the optimisation of single factors such as thermal comfort or air quality. The realisation that the indoor environment is more than the sum of its parts, and that its assessment has to start from human beings rather than benchmarks, has only been gaining ground in recent years.

The importance of the indoor environment, and of indoor The positive health effect of light, in this case of sunlight, was air quality in particular, was recognised as early as the first acknowledged by the Egyptians, ancient Greeks and Romans, century BC, as described by Vitruvius in his ten books of archi- each of whom worshipped their own sun god. Much later, at tecture 1. However, it was not until the early decades of the the beginning of the 19oos, sunlight as a healer was put to twentieth century that the first relations between parameters practical use. Sanatoria were built for light therapy for people Understanding describing heat, lighting and sound in buildings and human suffering from skin diseases, among other ailments. The late needs were established. In fact, the last hundred years have 198os saw light therapy being used for the first time to cure seen much effort put into management of the indoor environ- winter depressions (Seasonal Affective Disorder – SAD) with ment with the goal of creating healthy and comfortable con- artificial light. Artificial lighting has been an applied science ditions for the people living, working and recreating in them since around the 189os and early 19oos when the development the indoor for more than 9o% of their time. Nevertheless, enough health of the first electrical lamps made it possible to extend the work- problems and comfort complaints still occur to trigger more ing day well into the dark hours 6. research and development. Considering another aspect of our environment, the ancient Greek s a nd Roma ns rea lised t hat good hea ring cond it ions were History important for an audience listening to speech or music, whether environment Although chemistry only emerged as a separate science during indoors or outdoors. They placed audiences on steep curved hill- t he 17t h cent u r y, f rom t he Midd le A ge s onwa rd s people beg a n sides to reduce distance and focus the sound. Not all noise is wel- to realise that air in a building should be good and – and if it come though; like bad air it can be something we would rather were not, the result could be diseases or at least extreme dis- do without. Noise or unwanted auditory experience became an comfor t bec ause of bad smel ls. Until t he beginning of t he 19t h important aspect of practical acoustics in the 197os. It was con- Putting century, the miasmatic theory of disease (which has now been sidered as a form of environmental pollution and noise control replaced by the germ theor y of disease, with micro-organisms developed into a major branch of acoustical engineering. seen as the cause of many diseases), was used to explain the In summary, the indoor environment as such can be spread of diseases such as cholera 2. Miasma (Greek for pollu- described by the following so-called environmental factors tion) was considered to be a poisonous, smelly vapour or mist or (external) stressors: filled with particles from decomposed matter (miasmata) that – Indoor air quality: an umbrella term comprising odour, people could cause illnesses. Ventilation thus became an important indoor air pollution, fresh air supply, etc. part of the indoor environment. Discussions on how much – Thermal comfort: dependent on moisture (humidity), air ventilation was sufficient to prevent noxious odours and the velocity, temperature, etc. spread of disease had already begun and are still taking place – Acoustical quality: noise from outside, indoors, vibrations, today 3. It is not an easy problem to solve. etc. first In the late 19th century, the environmental factor ‘thermal – Visual or lighting quality: view, illuminance, luminance comfort’ was introduced as being part of the overall concept ratios, reflection, etc. of indoor comfort. It was recognised that poorly ventilated rooms, besides being responsible for bad air quality, could These factors have slowly become incorporated into the build- also result in unwanted thermal effects, both through tem- ing process through environmental design. Around 1900, new perature and humidity 4, 5. discoveries in the science of physics and chemistry with respect

8 D&A Spring Spring 20082010 iSS iSSueue 13 08 9 Table 1 Diseases and disorders related to the human body caused by indoor environmental stress factors10

Level Skin Eyes Ears Nose Respiratory tract

Discomfort Warm, cold, Too much light, too Disturbance, hear- Smell, irritation Cough, short- sweat, draught little light, blinding, ing and understand- ness of breath glare, reflections ing problems

Systemic effects Tiredness Tiredness Chest pain, wheezing

Allergic or irritant Contact Redness, Blocked or runny Asthma, reaction dermatitis, dry, itching, dry nose, sneezing bronchitis, itchy, red skin feeling hypersensitiv- ity reactions to electricit y, lig ht, sou nd a nd a irborne substa nce s made it pos- ronmental stress factors. Psychological or mental effects are Infectious Infection Rare: dry eyes Inflammation of the Blocked or runny Infection (bacte- sible to improve many of the indoor environmental aspects, not included in this overview because they are difficult to diseases (bacterial, viral syndrome inner ear nose, temporary rial, viral or fun- such as artificial lighting, heating and cooling. On the other pin-point. Not being able to cope with a certain situation, or fungal) loss of smell. gal) e.g. bronchitis hand, new technologies also introduced health and comfort consciously or unconsciously, can cause a whole range of dif- Toxic chronic Radiation- related Damage to the Severe and Permanent loss Damage and/ problems that had never been encountered before. Among ferent diseases and disorders that are mostly indirectly related effects disorders (such as eye by UV light, permanent loss of smell or tumours these are legionnaires’ disease and later, with the introduction to environmental factors and affected by psycho-social and sunburn) cataract formation of hearing of new materials, formaldehyde, and ultimately, in the 198os, personal factors 9. (as a result of long- the so-called SBS (Sick Building Syndrome) symptoms. In fact, together with the systemic effects, they form a cat- term exposure to infrared light) egory of their own, influenced by and influencing all these Disorders and diseases regulation and control systems. The human senses, the “windows of the soul”7 , are basically the instruments we have to report or indicate whether we feel Indoor environmental control comfortable in the indoor environment and how we feel our Over the years, control of indoor environmental factors has Table 2 Indoor environmental factors, parameters, health is affected by it. We judge the indoor environment by focused merely on the prevention or cure of their observed control and issues of concern 10 its acceptability with respect to heat, cold, smell, noise, dark- physical effects in a largely isolated way – i.e. trying to find ness, flickering light and other factors. But in terms of health sepa rate solut ions for t herma l com for t, lig ht ing qua lit y, sou nd Thermal comfort Lighting quality Acoustical quality Air quality effects, it is not just the human senses that are involved but the quality and air quality with models that in general consider whole body and its systems. Indoor environmental (external) only physical conditions and address only one parameter at Parameters Temperature Luminance and frequencies, types of pollutants (air and radiant) illuminance, duration, (allergic, irritational, stressors that can cause discomfort and health effects com- a time. Many control strategies for these parameters have relative humidity, reflectance(s), absorption carcinogenic, etc.), prise both environmental and psycho-social factors, such as been implemented in order to minimise or prevent possible air velocity, colour temperature characteristics, ventilation rate working and personal relationships. Moreover, factors such diseases and disorders of the human body and its compo- turbulence intensity, and colour index, sound insulation. and efficiency as sex, smoking, genetics and age play a role. nents (see Table 2). Only in the last decades of the 20th cen- activity and view and daylight reverberation time clothing frequencies Pollution sources and Environmental stimuli caused by the environmental tury was an attempt made through epidemiological studies to Sound level(s), air concentrations, parameters provide the input for our bodily sensations. The approach the indoor environment in a holistic way. The scien- three major regulation and control systems of the human tific approach towards evaluating and creating a healthy and Control Heating, cool- Luminance Acoustical control, Source control, body (the nervous system, the immune system and the endo- comfortable indoor environment developed from a compo- ing and air condi- distribution, passive noise control, ventilation systems, crine s ystem) t rig ger bot h ment a l (memorie s, a n x iet y, etc.) a nd nent-related to a bottom-up holistic approach that tried sim- tioning systems. integration of artificial active noise control maintenance, 8 11 building design (insu- and natural lighting, air cleaning, physic a l (fig ht or fl ig ht, protect ion, s y mptoms etc.) re sponse s . ply to add the different components . Performance concepts lation, facade, etc.) daylight influx activity control Depending on internal stress factors such as the declining and indicators emerged, including not only environmental performance of the senses and the immune system with age,, parameters but also possible associated variables such as char- Issues Dynamic effects, Daylight influx, Long-term Interpretation but also genetic defects (such as colour blindness) and psy- acteristics of buildings. New methods of investigating indoor adaptation, relation between health effects, and detection, cho-social aspects (context, personal experience), our bodily environmental quality from different perspectives were intro- integration systems thermal comfort vibrations, secondary pollution 12 with building (facade, and energy use, degree of annoyance (indoor chemistry and responses, consciously or unconsciously, can differ in quality, duced . Nevertheless, control strategies were still focused on floor and ceiling), health effects micro-organism), quantity and over time. Table 1 provides an overview of the a component basis. Even though these control strategies are energy use and control (fine) dust, possible diseases and disorders related to the different parts currently being applied, complaints and symptoms related to energy use of the human body involved in responding to indoor envi- the indoor environment still occur.

10 D&A Spring 2010 iSSue 13 11 We judge the indoor environment by its acceptability with respect to heat, cold, smell, noise, darkness, flickering light and other factors. But in terms of health effects, it is not just the human senses that are involved but the whole body and its systems.

Cu rrent st a nd a rd s a nd g u ideline s have been, a nd a re st i l l being , indoor environment should be considered as a system (Figure 2) de veloped w it h t he trad itiona l ‘ bot tom-up’ approach 11. W hen analogous to system engineering using a top-down approach, focusing on defining threshold values for indoor environmen- as seen in the aerospace industry13. In this approach, the sub- tal parameters, different subsequent steps are taken: systems (components) matter, but the system will only func- Step 1: Identify sources and other influencing factors tion if all sub-systems are optimised along with the total system, Step 2: Define dose-effect relationships whether this is related to health, comfort or sustainability Step 3: Establish threshold values for recognised issues. This top-down approach allows for a holistic and inte- dangerous stimuli grative management during the entire life-cycle of an indoor Step 4: Assimilate or integrate all factors into end-user environment from initiation to breakdown. In this context, satisfaction. ‘holistic’means focused on end-user requirements, integrating all aspects and covering interactions between occupant and With the exception of health-threatening stimuli, the complex- environment and vice versa. ity and number of indoor environmental parameters as well as In addition to this top-down approach, some kind of lack of knowledge make a performance assessment using only risk assessment is needed in which the traditional bottom-up threshold levels for single parameters difficult and even mean- approach is used in parallel with the top-down approach – a ingless. Most standards are based on averaged data and do risk assessment that makes use of clearly identifiable relations not take into account the fact that buildings, individuals and found between certain building characteristics or user patterns their activities may differ widely and change continuously; not a nd self-repor ted hea lt h compla int s 14. When relations between every person receives, perceives and responds in the same way. certain building characteristics (measures) and (health) com- This is due to physical, physiological and psychological differ- plaints are known, it becomes possible to set new or different ences but also to differences in personal experience, context guidelines (performance indicators and performance criteria) and situation. Considering both the numerous indoor stim- and evaluation methods, based on which new building con- uli and the lack of a solid scientific basis, it appears implausi- cepts can be realised. An inventory of measures that should be ble to make the final and complex integrating step. followed in order to get to a healthy and comfortable building with the current knowledge available is a good start. Top-down approach The indoor environmental parameters – thermal comfort, Need for R&D air quality, acoustical quality and lighting quality – are thus It is clear that there is a need for a test procedure that evaluates being defined and identified with quantitative indicators that the effects and reactions of people to different environmental are mostly expressed in numbers and/or ranges of numbers conditions over time in order to define a human model. With a ssu med to be acceptable for hu ma ns. Howe ver, t he se a re on ly respect to food, we have been brought up to communicate what valid if a clear relation has been established between the param- we like – within certain limits, we can inform the cook what eter and a specific health or comfort effect, and when the inter- we want in terms of salt, sweet, bitter and sour. For a house, or actions with other parameters are known (Figure 1). for that matter the function of living, we are much less edu- It is clear that new ways of managing the indoor environ- cated. In most cases we are confronted with an existing house ment are required. Hence the proposal is put forward that the or design and have to fulfil our needs within those boundaries.

12 D&A Spring 2010 iSSue 13 13 Figure 1 Examples of interactions at different levels11

Human being Parameters Building and External indoors elements environment

Physical and Indoor chemistry Integrated systems Ageing population physiology microbiologi- Multifunc- cal growth tional society

Mental and (fine) dust Smart Control Climate change an- psychological drelated issues

Concious and Noise and Flexible bear- Metaphysics unconscious vibrations ing construction

Health and Healthy Indoor surfaces Risk assessment Comfort lightning

On the other hand, most people cannot indicate or pin-point vidual people. However, if the determinants or indicators of Figure 2. their physical and mental needs, which makes performance- a certain wish or demand are unknown, it will be difficult to A system for sustainable health and comfort (based on Bluyssen, 200910) on-demand of the end-user difficult. There is often a discrep- pinpoint the sensor required for providing control. Without ancy between what people tell us and what their behaviour knowledge of cause and effect, an indicator will provide noth- Human being Indoor Control Holistic and tells us, or what they say is the cause of certain complaints and ing more than a wild guess. environment integrative top- what the real problem is. The reason lies in the ways we proc- down approach ess information – consciously (cognitive) and unconsciously Performance indi- A sustainable indoor Performance on de- End-user focused, (emotional). Understanding this processing at physiological ces integrating health environment that mand, anticipat- multi-disciplinary, and psychological level is thus important in order to model or and comfort as- guarantees a high ing wishes and needs life-cycle oriented, predict human behaviour under different environmental con- pects basic level of health during different ac- sustainable and comfort tivities and over ditions. We need new techniques (biosensing and biomonitor- time ing) from other fields of science to understand behaviour and physical reactions by observing and monitoring both positive and negative effects of stimuli. It should be emphasised that climate change effects and changing end-user requirements (not being the same as 100 years ago) are not to be forgotten. They will have an effect on Notes the design of buildings, materials used, services and control 1. rowland, I.D., Howe, T.N. (2007) October, pp48-70. make buildings healthy and com- and well-being of occupants at systems. Up to the 19th century, for most people the indoor Vitruvius: Ten books on archi- 6. encyclopaedia Brittanica (1991) fortable, Earthscan, London, UK, individual level’, Proceedings of environment was merely a place for shelter, to sleep and eat. tecture, Cambridge University Macropaedia vol.23, 15th edition, ISBN 9781844077878. Healthy Buildings 2006, Lisbon, But in the future, the enclosure of a building will more than Press, Cambridge, UK, ISBN 978- ‘Chapter light pp.1-28 and chap- 11. Bluyssen, P.M. (2008) ‘Manage- Portugal, vol.3, 163-168. 0-521-00292-9. ter lighting and lighting devices’, ment of the indoor environment: ever need to integrate the different functions of the building, 2. Madigan M, Martinko J., Parker, pp29-38, ISBN 0-85229-529-4, from a component related to an complying with climate change imperatives (e.g. saving energy), J. (eds) (2005), Brock Biology of Chicago, USA. interactive top-down approach’, providing comfort and health for the end-users. Microorganisms, 11th ed., Pren- 7. encyclopaedia Britannica (1991) Indoor and Built Environment, However, saving energy at the same time as creating a tice Hall, ISBN 0131443291, New Macropaedia, vol.27, 15th edition, vol.17, issue 6, 483-495. Jersey, USA. ‘Chapter Human sensory recep- 12. Bluyssen, P.M. (2010) ‘Towards healthy and comfortable indoor environment requires more 3. Billings, J.S. (1883) ‘Ventilation tion’, pp163-221, ISBN 0-85229- new methods and ways to create than providing an efficient and sustainable envelope – con- and Heating’, The engineering 529-4, Chicago, USA. healthy and comfortable build- trol of the indoor environment parameters is very important record. 8. kapit , W., Macey, R.I., Meisami, E. ings’, Building and Environment, as well. This control should anticipate conscious and uncon- 4. Billings, J.S., Mitchell, S.W., (2000) The physiology coloring vol.45, issue 4, 808-818. Bergey, D.H. (1898) ‘The com- book, 2nd edition, ISBN 0-321- 13. Blanchard, B.S. (2004) System scious needs of the different end-users in relation to different position of expired air and its 03663-8, Benjamins/Cummings engineering management, third activities. This anticipation can vary from complete central effects upon animal life’, Smith- Science publishing, CA, USA edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., control to individual manual control of an individual’s per- sonian Contributions to Knowl- 9. Taylor, J. (2006) The mind, A us- ISBN 0-471-29176-5, New Jer- sonal space (e.g. performance on demand, adaptability and edge, Washington, USA. er’s manual, John Wiley & Sons, sey, USA. Dr Philomena Bluyssen works with TNO Built Environment and Geosciences 5. Janssen, J.E. (1999) ‘The history Ltd., England, ISBN 0-470- 14. Roulet, C.-A., Bluyssen, P.M., Cox, flexibility). Sensors and signals are key issues to anticipating in Delft, the Netherlands. She has written more than 150 publications and co- of ventilation and temperature 02222-1. C. and Foradini, F. (2006) ‘Rela- human demands and behaviour. Sensors are no more than ordinated several European-funded projects on indoor environment, including control, the first century of air 10. Bluyssen, P.M. (2009) The Indoor tions between perceived indoor systems that measure signals from the environment and indi- the European Audit project and the recent European HealthyAir project. conditioning’, ASHRAE Journal, Environment Handbook, How to environment characteristics

14 D&A Spring 2008 iSSue 08 15 Dan Perjovshi Dan Perjovschi is an artist, writer ings present a political commen- and cartoonist born in 1961 in Sibiu, tary in response to current events. Romania. Perjovschi has over the Another exhibition of Perjovschi’s past decade created drawings in within a Portuguese bank consists museum spaces, most recently of several comic strip style draw- in the Museum of Modern Art in ings which address more European New York City in which he cre- issues such as Romania’s accept- ated the drawing during business ance to the EU and abortion legali- hours for patrons to see. The draw- zation in Portugal. Mankind Mankind as the focal point of architecture: By Fred Pearce and architecture interior views of a corresponding relationship. Illustrations by Dan Perjovschi PART TWO The days when architects expected buildings to provide total automated control of the indoor environment are over. Inhabitants of houses, offices and factories prefer access to daylight and fresh air. Not only that, it is good for their health and their productivity. So how can the designers of buildings best deliver?

Most of us spend most of our time indoors. Yet the indoor Hourly air replacement rates are often no more than a third, environment is discussed much less than the outdoor envi- especially in northern Europe. And the trend has been towards ronment. The presumption is that we are safe indoors. Build- reduc ed vent i lat ion, in order to save energ y. Ty pic a l vent i lat ion ings provide shelter, warmth, shade and security; but they rates in Europe have halved in the past half century. A breath of often deprive us of fresh air, natural light and ventilation. In schools, offices and other work spaces, ventilation is Can they do better? usually measured in terms of the volume of air replaced per Once, to address such concerns, we might have relied on person in the space. According to Seppanen, ventilation rates ever-more controlled indoor environments. More recently, how- below 10 litres per second per person are associated with sig- ever, architects have started to commit what might once have nificantly less healthy environments and lower productivity. seemed heresy – considering whether we should let more of the And ventilation rates of 25 litres may be necessary to elimi- fresh air outdoors indoors, whether we could improve our health and nate health risks and discomfort. But again such targets are our mental well-being by giving up total control of the indoor often missed, as companies reduce their energy bills by reduc- environment. As a result, buildings are increasingly going back ing ventilation. to nature, with natural ventilation and natural lighting. Ventilation disperses irritants and unhealthy substances that may accumulate in enclosed spaces. These include bioef- Windows Ventilation fluents from human exhaling and activities; chemicals from All buildings need ventilation to maintain good air quality. building materials and cleaning agents, etc.; moisture; and the But, especially in cold climates, there is a trade-off between moulds and microfauna that thrive in a humid atmosphere. ventilation and energy consumption. If we want to cut the Dust mites, which can trigger a range of allergic reactions, do amount of energy we use for heating buildings (or air condi- well if indoor humidity is above 45 per cent – a frequent occur- in a more tioning t hem in tropic a l su mmer), a n obv iou s way is to control rence when hourly ventilation rates are less than o.5 replace- ventilation. With more than a quarter of our primary energy ments per hour. According to the World Health Organization, going to heat and air condition buildings, the consequences up to 30 per cent of new buildings show symptoms of “sick of these choices, for both cash and carbon emissions, are huge. building syndrome”, causing headaches or even asthma attacks So where is the right balance? Can well-designed buildings among inhabitants. There are also longer-term threats from deliver both energy savings and good air quality? poor ventilated buildings. Poorly ventilated buildings may natural As a rule of thumb, homes should be designed so that half accumulate cancer causing particles from cigarette smoke, the air is replaced every hour. Many building codes incorpo- asbestos from flaking insulation or lead from old plumbing rate this. Lower rates “are a health risk in residential buildings”, and paint. They may contain higher amounts of potentially says Olli Seppanen, head of the Institute of Heating Ventilat- dangerous artificial compounds such as brominated flame ing and Air Conditioning at the Helsinki University of Tech- retardants used to prevent furnishings and carpets from catch- environment nology. And some leading experts, such as Jan Sundell of the ing fire. A further threat is from the radioactive gas radon and International Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy at its decay products, which percolate into basements and foun- the Technical University of Denmark, suggest that a higher dations from granitic rocks in some regions. Epidemiology figure of 0.7 replacements per hour is better for inhabitants. suggests that in Denmark, Britain and elsewhere there may be Yet many modern homes do not even meet the lower target. hundreds of deaths each year from radon-induced cancers.

D&A Spring 2008 iSSue 08 2018 D&AD&A Spring Spring 2008 2010 iSS iSSueue 08 13 19 Indoor air quality Indoor air quality and ventilation have been shown to affect the productivity of workers and school children. In a pioneer study by Pawel Wargocki in 2000, it was shown how the productivity of office workers is improved by some 2% when the ventilation rate is increased from 3 l/s to 30 l/s. A later study by Wargocki in 2008 on the performance of school children showed that doubling the ventilation rate in schools can improve performance by 15%.

Generally ventilation improves indoor air quality, but venti- That is the theory, and it has led to ever more concerted efforts lation is not all the same. There is a growing understanding to stabi lise temperat u re s in bu i ld ings a rou nd t his fig u re, u sing today of the difference, both in the quality of air delivered and highly mechanised heating and cooling systems. in how it is perceived, between mechanical air conditioning And yet we are not so inflexible. More recent research has and natural ventilation. Natural ventilation covers everything suggested that, as with ventilation, if we have control of the from windows freely controlled by inhabitants to controlled temperature in our working environment, we are more toler- air exchange using differences in air pressure and windows ant of temperature variation. With natural ventilation, peo- that open and close automatically. ple in an office at 3o degrees may still regard the temperature Sick building syndrome is more prevalent in air-conditioned as quite acceptable, even though they would protest if the ven- buildings. The explanation for this is not always clear, but the tilation were mechanical. poor performance of mechanical air conditioning is probably Richard de Dear, an architect at the University of Sydney, related to badly-sited intakes for ‘new’ air and a failure to replace carried out a meta-analysis of research data and concluded filters handling recycled air. Other factors may include dirty that the definitions of thermal acceptability incorporated in cooling towers, where legionnaire’s disease may lurk, and the the standards of the American Society of Heating, Refriger- circulation of fibres from ducts and other equipment. ating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) “bore little “Overall, most studies show more people satisfied with their resemblance or relationship to the levels actually expressed working environment when exposed to natural ventilation by occupants”. People were generally much happier to accept rather than air-conditioning,” says John Hummelgaard of the whatever temperature their building was at than previously International Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy at supposed. And “this adaptive relationship was stronger in nat- the Technical University in Denmark. “They prefer the direct urally ventilated buildings”. exchange of air from the outside. And under those circum- He concluded that the acceptable range of temperatures is stances they are more tolerant of minor discomfort.” about doubled in naturally ventilated buildings. How much So there is a win:win situation here in the balance between of this was due to physiological acclimatisation to variability health and well-being on the one hand and energy efficiency and how much to shifting expectations is not clear. on the other. Automated natural ventilation systems typi- Human response to differing temperatures shows many cally use 1o–3o per cent less energy that air-conditioning sys- interesting wrink les. High humidit y usua lly ma kes us feel hot- tems, according to Andy Walker of the US Nat iona l Rene wable ter, for instance. Likewise glare from the sun shining directly Energy Laboratory. Thus natural systems have lower energy through a window. And a light breeze through the office, costs and greater user satisfaction. whether from open windows or an air conditioning system, creates a ‘chill factor’ by removing heat from the body faster. Thermal comfort And our perceptions of air quality depend on temperature. Ventilation is closely tied to thermal comfort. Studies over Studies by Pawel Wargocki, Lei Fang and Ole Fanger have all many years have concluded that all of us, whatever our race, found that air should be served as we prefer champagne: cold whate ver ou r wea lt h or life st yle, whate ver t he sea son, a nd wher- and dry. The quality of air is perceived as being better when ever we live, have a similar thermal comfort zone. When at rest it is cold and dry, rather than warm and humid. or engaging in light activity such as working at an office desk, Knowing that high indoor temperatures are not neces- we like a temperature of about 22 degrees Celsius. sarily uncomfortable in naturally ventilated buildings, a goal

21 “Enough light to see by is not enough light […] The daily light dose received by people in Western countries might be too low, possibly detrimental to our well-being.”

Jennifer Veitch, Canada’s Institute for Research in Construction

could be to design buildings without air conditioning that About half of solar energy is in the visible part of the spectrum, make people feel comfortable. This will have a growing influ- the rest being either ultraviolet or infrared. Visible light occu- ence on window design. Can we have windows that provide pies the electromagnetic spectrum from around 38o nanome- ventilation but do not create a breeze (which in any event can tres to 78o nanometres. play havoc in a paper-strewn office)? Can we have windows Daylight, though strong in all areas of the spectrum, that let in light but shade us from glare? And most impor- changes throughout the day. Electric light is a poor proxy for tantly, while designing new buildings with window systems daylight. It has a generally much narrower range than daylight, with an increased number of functions, we should remem- and none of the variability. Extensive studies performed by ber to keep the occupant in focus and never take the control Heschong Mahone Group, and based on student performance of the systems out of the hands of the people occupying the data from over 21,ooo students in 2ooo classrooms in spaces we built. Ca lifornia, Seat t le, Wa shing ton a nd C olorado, have fou nd a compelling statistical correlation between the amount of Lighting daylighting in elementary school classrooms and the perform- Once we illuminated our rooms with natural light to the max- ance of students on standardised maths and reading tests (see imum extent possible. As late as the 194os, artificial light only separate box). took over after dark. But since then, the desire for total control Other studies also suggest that natural light is better for us over lighting, especially in the workplace, has encouraged ever – that we can benefit from a ‘daylight dividend’. A sunny hos- greater reliance on artificial lighting. And the only measure pital room almost halved death rates among patients recuper- of whether the light is correct has been whether the quantity ating from a heart attack, according to University of Alberta of light provided enough illumination to see by. But in recent health scientists Kathleen Beauchemin and Peter Hays, in a years the short-sightedness of this approach has become appar- paper c a l led D y ing in t he Da rk . The y a lso fou nd su n lig ht helps ent. “Enough light to see by is not enough light,” says Jennifer patients suffering from depression. Another study found that Veitch of the National Research Council of Canada’s Institute hospital rooms that overlook natural views also aid patient for Research in Construction. “The daily light dose received recovery more quickly than those facing a brick wall. by people in Western countries might be too low,” she says, A literature search by Paul Torcellini of the US govern- “possibly detrimental to our well-being.” ment’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory found many More attention is now being paid to the quality of light, sources claiming that more daylight brought better industrial and to the subtle but potentially far-reaching effects of light- and office productivity. Lockheed Martin claimed that more ing levels and the spectrum of light, along with the influence daylight in its engineering design offices was responsible for of the timing of our exposure to light in its many forms. The reduced absenteeism and increased productivity that helped implications range from our sense of well-being, the incidence win a $1.5 billion defence contract. Other American organi- of seasonal affective disorder SAD( ) and recovery from jet lag sations have claimed increased productivity of 15–25 per cent to long-term effects such as our bodies’ supplies of Vitamin after moving to new buildings with better lighting. The Reno D, cancers and immune function. And light is not the only Post Office said the resulting increased productivity paid for issue. We also need “healthy darkness” to maintain our body its new building in under a year. clocks. We need, says Veitch, a “daily dark dose.”

22 D&A Spring 2010 iSSue 13 Daylight Daylight availability has been shown to affect the learning progress of school children. An extensive study performed by the Heschong Ma- hone Group, based on student performance data from over 21,000 students in 2,000 classrooms, found that students in classrooms with the largest window area progressed 15% faster in maths and 23% faster in reading than those with the least window area. Students that had a well-designed skylight in their room (one that diffused the daylight throughout the room and that allowed teachers to control the amount of daylight entering the room) also improved 19–20% faster than those students without a skylight. The study also identified another window-related effect – students in classrooms with windows that could be opened were found to progress 7–8% faster than those with fixed windows. This occurred whether the classroom also had air conditioning or not. These effects were all observed with 99% statistical certainty.

Lighting and circadian rhythms can be alleviated with exposure to regular doses of bright light, Natural light reinforces our daily rhythms. We are genetically whet her a r t i ficia l ly or f rom a n out side wa l k each morning. The- programmed to respond to light stimulation to wake up in ory suggests that light rich at the blue wavelengths ought to the morning, stay awake through the day, and sleep at night. work best in attenuating the symptoms, though whether this Without enough daylight, and darkness, these processes can gave rise to the colloquial expression ‘feeling blue’ is unclear. suffer. This may be more frequent than we often imagine. All this suggests that there are major gains from exposing Most workplace lig ht ing is poor compa red to d aylig ht, pa r- workplaces to more natural light, and from switching to arti- ticularly in the middle of the day. And this seems to suppress ficial light that more closely mimics natural light in quantity our ability to keep alert and work efficiently. Certainly, stud- and quality. Building design in particular can enhance over- ies consistently show that people exposed to brighter than nor- all light during daytime and ensure that people get sufficient mal lights in the office work better, are more alert and have a morning exposure to the blue light that at this time of day happier mood – in the afternoon in particular. They may also bolsters circadian rhythms and may ward off SAD and other sleep better at night, according to Ann Webb of the School of health-threatening conditions. Much of this comes back to Environmental Sciences at the University of Manchester. windows – the most important link between the indoor and The main timepiece for this body clock appears to be a outdoor environments, the source of natural light and natu- series of cells in the back of the eye unconnected to sight. These ral ventilation. cells send messages via the hypothalamus area of the brain to In the past, the exclusive concentration on electric light as the pineal gland, also in the brain and sometimes called our a source of illumination has blinded architects and lighting ‘third eye’. The pineal gland secretes the compound melatonin designers to many of the other auxiliary benefits from natural at high rates during darkness and at much lower rates during light – including keeping a workforce alert through the after- the day. Melatonin controls our wakefulness. noon. Wake up there at the back. These cycles are known as circadian rhythms, from the The good news for architects then, is that there are practical Latin circa (meaning around) and dies (meaning day). ways of combining the necessary control to provide an opti- Our bodies are also responsive to seasonal changes in expo- mum – the right lighting, ventilation and temperature – with su re to lig ht. Ou r circ ad ia n rhy t h ms re spond to t he se sea sona l the needs and desires of the occupants of buildings to control changes, allowing people in high latitudes to sleep more in their environment and to feel ‘in touch’ with the outside world. winter and less in summer. But these systems do not always Harmony between indoors and outdoors is possible. work perfectly – perhaps in part because many people today are much less exposed to the quantity, quality and rhythms of d aylig ht. Th is may be at t he root of a form of depre ssion k now n as the seasonal affective disorder SAD( ) that afflicts suffers during autumn and winter, as the days grow short. As much as Fred Pearce is an author and freelance journalist based in London, UK, Fred 10 per cent of the population may suffer symptoms of fatigue, Pearce has reported on environment, science and development issues from 64 countries over the past 20 years. He is environment consultant for New Sci- feeling low and inability to concentrate on work. entist magazine and writes the Greenwash column on the Guardian web site. One theory is that SAD is caused by a phase delay in the He has published more than a dozen books including When the Rivers Run Dr y, circadian system. Certainly, like jetlag, in many sufferers it The Last Generation and Confessions of an Eco Sinner.

25 DAYLIGHTING The natural gift of daylight put to pratice in architecture

FRESH AIR at home: a sensory experience and social ritual

By Bettina Hauge Photography by Felix Odell

In a qualitative study conducted in autumn 2009, the Danish anthropologist Bettina Hauge has shown how people make use of fresh air to air out their private homes. Her analysis of the results shows that ventilation practices may be divided into three categories: functional (practical causes), aesthetic (sensory) and social (caring for and impression on others). Anthro- pological studies of this kind are useful in understanding why people act the way they do, and analyzing specific practices may give hidden insights into the lives of ordinary people.

26 D&A SPRING 2010 Issue 13 27 “Airings and fresh air are funny things. you don’t talk about them, you just do them.” Mariann

The impor t ance of airing out by opening win - (fear of radon or water damage) and with – satisfaction (completely individual need) dows and doors is particularly important in certain taboos as fresh air IN means par- – a through breeze (freedom) ‘transition periods’ – like getting from work ticular smells OUT (from lavatories and to home, returning from holiday to every- bedrooms). For this reason, control of the Air involves: day life, adapting from summer to winter odour spectrum of the home is desired. – smells and sounds in context (from the and adjusting from being asleep to being countr yside or town , the plea sure of being awake. This is in accordance with knowl- In the study people spoke of themselves as able to follow the seasons) edge gained from anthropological ritual and either a ‘window opener’ (mostly women) or – technology (systems for controlling air behaviour research that reveals the impor- a ‘window closer’ (mostly men). The report that allow the user to forget about tak- tance of behavioural patterns in the transi- also presents statements from children and ing steps personally to air the home – i.e. tion from one phase to another. Transitions young people that show they have their own the need for security, personal control of of ten involve the feeling of freedom and the view of the ritual of airing out that reflects doors and windows) need for control – in this case control of the partly the body’s various comfort zones and – control (the ability to control the home- family’s health and well-being through con- partly a contextual significance: a slim girl cleanliness and healthiness) trol of the domestic environment. In other does not want to open windows as she gets – practical functions (cleaning). words, opening windows and doors dem- cold too easily – and her brother automati- ons trate s a sense of c aring for the re sident s cally airs out a soldier’s barrack room so as By far the majority of the aspects men- of the house. to be able to sleep in it, a habit that, much tioned above are determined by the house Opening a window or door indicates, to his parents’ dismay, he does not practice a s a frame for ‘ impre s sion management ’ - the for all informants in the study, bodily recep- as much at home. This also serves to illus- social construction of smell – in relation to tiveness and inclusion of the outside world. trate that habits are determined by the sit- the de sire for how we wish to experience and This is in line with phenomenology that indi- uation and not only the technical features perceive our own homes and how we wish c ates that we are par t of this world through of the home. visitor s to experience and perceive us and our our bodies – it is through them that we are Reasons given for opening up the house homes. Your home is your smell. aware of our existence. In this light, ‘enjoying and letting in fresh air reflect the functional, a bree ze’ become s the joy of being alive . Hav- emotional (social) and aesthetic (sensory) ing a ‘nice fresh smell’ in the home is a phe- elements of fresh air through windows and nomenological desire that indicates being doors. They cannot be taken out of context; alive and not decaying – a desire to remain it is very important to see them in the light receptive to the world and to development s . of their importance in the home. The home Opening the window of the children’s room as the framework for family health plays a to let in fresh air is a way of greeting the role in our practice of airing out, just as the morning by demonstrating one’s relation- social status of the home in the form of an ship with the surroundings – as well as love ‘odour spectrum’ provokes particular airing for the children. out behaviour. Airing out involves the general concept Bettina Hauge holds a Ma ster ’s degree in Anthro - Airing out is: of having a good indoor climate that covers pology from the University of Copenhagen and a – habitual and ritualised (repetitive, season- many other parameters than fresh air alone: PhD in Sociology. She is employed at the Univer- sity, currently engaged in carr ying out research on ally-determined behaviour) young people, their environmental views and their – physically determined, a purely sensory Fresh involves: related practices at home. She has conducted var- experience (a fragrance lingers in the – anti-smell, perception (being aware of the ious research projects in the field of technology nose; individual comfort zones; enjoying world and the present) and human interaction, most recently in the field of user-driven innovation and intelligent housing. the breeze) – thinking about the entire family’s health Bettina Hauge teaches both at the University of – socio-culturally determined – partly (banishing the bedroom odour, dust and Copenhagen and at the Danish Technical Univer- because airing out can be linked to risks bacteria) sity (DTU).

28 D&A SPRING 2010 Issue 13 29 Mariann (left) “As soon as I’m up and dressed in the morning, both windows are thrown open. Fortu- nately, we both agree on that. I would guess they are open for 30–40 minutes before we leave home. The window is open while I’m in the bath too. In fact they’re open all year round – the bedroom windows that is. It’s a pure reflex. About every third day I air out the house with a draught – I have to feel that I get fresh air. The air must not stand still – that’s not pleasant. I also always open the window when I use the vacuum cleaner. And of course when it’s hot weather. [...] When I get home from work, I often leave the kitchen door open – and the window. It ’s Ole who’s the closer! When we’re finished in the kitchen – 20 minutes or so later I s’pose – we close them . In the summer they ’re open all the time. Well, depending on the weather of course. Not so much in the winter.” (left)

Charlotte (p.36) “I air out when we wake up in the morning and when the oven’s on – but there are no hard and fast rules about it. When it’s really hot I prefer to keep windows and door s shut . The bedroom window is kept open – thank- fully my husband and I agree on that - and I open the windows in the children’s rooms a little before they go to bed. The 12-year- old opens her window in the morning but not the 10-year-old. So I normally remind her about it. And the little one can’t do that herself of course. When we have guests we open more windows than normally because it gets SO hot in here. That creates a little circulation – we make sure there is a bit of a draught so we can cool the place down quickly. From May to September, we turn off the underfloor heating. And the log stove is just for cosine s s . [. . .] But you should be able to sense and smell that the house is lived-in – that it ’s being used.”

30 D&A SPRING 2010 Issue 13 31 Bella (right and p.42) “The older generation probably thinks more about use of resources – waste not, want not. We’ve always tried to live up to that so perhaps it’s not an age thing – more something to do with the body’s sensitivity as to whether you like to let the fre sh air in or keep it out.”

[Question: If you haven’t aired out?] “ It ’s almos t the s ame a s if I hadn’t cleaned . It has something to do with being awake. I also do it when I get home after dropping off the boys before I start the day’s work. I would have thought that those low-energy houses, where it ’s almos t forbidden to open the win - dows because it ruins the central heating effect – well that’s a big minus [...]. I wouldn’t like that at all. And even if I have S olarVenti [a solar hot air collector for ventilation] in this house one day, I’ll still open the windows. I mean for all the extra things you get when you air out. I also want to be able to create a draf t – it ’s uncomfor t able if you c an’t adjus t the temperature fast. No, the wind must be allowed in.”

Janne (p. 34) ”I’ve changed my fixed routines beyond recognition [since I moved house]. Every single day I used to have to dry all the windows in the bedroom. The condensation ran down the edges and they can’t take that. Today I think it ’s all ver y different . Such a relief ! In my old house I HAD to do something, now I have almost no fixed routines any more, about airing out I mean. But if it’s good weather, if it gets too hot, then I open the windows. In fact the windows in my old home were practically the reason we moved. We had decided to replace them but it turned out to be a huge projec t bec ause they were fixed to their frames in a special way - so a big chunk of the wall would have to be knocked down and built up again. No way. We’d rather move to something new.”

32 D&A SPRING 2010 Issue 13 33 34 D&A SPRING 2010 Issue 13 35 Anne Margrethe (p. 43) “Normally I air out just to get the air in the house circulating. I tell myself that the air from outside is fresher. The morning fug must be got rid of and fresh air helps there. Fresh air should almost go through your body I think – and not stand still. It’s also to sort of get the sleep out of the house, know what I mean? Like getting the sleep out of your body. For me, airing out is something that is both mental and physical. [...] It’s something that you think makes you feel better. Pure routine. You say ‘good morning’ when you open the windows. That’s also because you c an hear the wind in the tree s . I mean you get fresh air but you get something else too. The owl and frogs at night . Oh what a racket they make – sometimes it’s a real concert. But that’s what’s so wonderful.”

Ghita (right) “ Fre sh air mus t be allowed in – it ’s really nice to let the breeze in. At bedtime – ten minutes before and after we’ve gone to bed. I open. Jan closes. Of course it’s irritating if mosquitoe s , daddy longlegs , flie s and wa sps get in. I don’t want that at all. I hate it. We always open the windows before we go to sleep. In the summer they are slightly open all the time. I still remember the sounds of the city when we opened the windows in the evening in Copenhagen. Here there are different sounds, the sounds that belong to nature.”

Jan (right) “Af ter the winter, it ’s so fant a s tic to hear the birds in spring. I look forward every year to hearing the birds. It makes me happy.”

Ghita “ Ye s , then summer is on the way – great . Ye s we air out but not enough. In the kitchen too – we turn on the cooker hood – but I think it makes so much noise and we switch it off as soon as we can. We should have fitted the motor outside the house.”

36 D&A SPRING 2010 Issue 13 37 Margit ”…Then after breakfast I go back upstairs, finish off in the bathroom and jump into my clothe s . I make the bed and open the window wide – I mus t let fre sh air in bec ause the bed - room has to be aired. I couldn’t dream of not turning the duvet and opening the window. I leave it open for a bit while I finish getting ready. [...] I’ve always done that – always aired out like that. I’ve always made my bed and opened the window extra wide. Seems the right thing to do somehow. When the children lived at home, I just opened more windows . T hey made their own beds and learned to open windows too. It jus t comes naturally, I think, to air out when you do the beds . In the summer, the windows are always left a little bit open because it gets hot, really hot, and they are open day and night all summer long. I try to get a little air circulation going so I open the windows to make a draught – that’s in the bedroom and the room opposite, my home office.”

The study in a nutshell rural: two live in the provinces (Bella Life phase Interview partners The study employed in-depth inter- and Charlotte), four in the suburbs The young family Three families views based on a semi-structured (Margit, Anne Margrethe, Janne, (one with an asthmatic) interview guide, short-term partic- Ghita and Jan and the young) and Bella, Charlotte, Janne ipant observation and photos. This one couple in the city (Ole and Mar- Family with teenage children Two families: (one with former methodology has the advantage that iann). All live on the Danish island of asthmatic child) it makes it possible for the subject to Zealand. Ghita and Jan, Anne Margrethe associate more freely than a ques- Distribution between owner and Couple or single with One couple and one single: tionnaire would allow. Photos serve housing association: six live in their children no longer living at home Ole and Mariann, Margit to illustrate practice. The inter- own homes, one in a housing asso- views and guided tours lasted some ciation dwelling. This person was two hours – the shortest 1.25 hours, included to study the behaviour pat- the longest about three hours. The terns of a person who was older and number of visited households was set who has moved several times. at seven – five women and two men Life phases: age and activity level plus two young people of 13 and 19. were used as a selection criterion. This decision was made because of The adults were selected the expectation that various activ- by the following criteria: ities in, and use of, the home in dif- Home: all were to live in houses ferent phases of life could mean Distribution between urban and different ‘use’ of airing out.

38 D&A SPRING 2010 Issue 13 39 36°38’52’’ N 103°03’99”W Trees-Clouds Texline, Texas 2009 www.mitchdobrowner.com Mitch Dobrowner: Storms “The Earth is an ever changing While photographing, the world ecosystem. It’s existed well be- gets quiet around me … things seem fore we were here,at times beauti- simple again – and I obtain a respect fully surreal, powerfully haunting and reverence for the world that and alive all at the same time. is hard to communicate through words. I get into a ‘zone’ where time and space seem hard to measure. For me those moments are a com- bination of the exterior environment and my interior combining. Hopefully the images presented help communicate what I vis- ualize during those times.”

ARM OF GOD, Galacia, kansas 2009

MOTHERSHIP, OBAR, NEW MEXICO 2009

42 D&A spring 2010 issue 13 43 Reflections Different points of view: ideas beyond those of everyday architecture.

The Architecture of the Post-Stupid Environment

Warm in winter, cool in summer. adverts in 1959, a process of re- Until today, this has been the thinking has been taking place: underlying idea of a ’comfort- people are much more adapta- able‘ indoor climate. Yet, ever ble to temperature fluctuations since a heating manufacturer than has long been assumed. published this picture in some

44 D&A spring 2010 issue 13 45 By Alan Powers Left ”Licht Luft Öffnung“ (Light Air Opening) – This book cover from Siegfried Giedion’s ”Befre- The human body has a limited zone of tolerance ites Wohnen” (Liberated Living, between heat and cold, but fresh air is essential for 1929) reflects a widespread phi- comfort and health. Historically, the problems of losophy of the 1920s. Daylight reconciling temperature and ventilation have been and fresh air was held by architects of classical modernism to addressed with ever more complex and energy-inten- be a means of preventing illness sive technology. Only recently have calls for non-me- and generally improving well- chanical passive solutions, often more sophisticated being. versions of vernacular building techniques, become part of the mainstream of design.

what will the historians of the future, like the character air. Joseph Priestley’s discovery of oxygen in 1774 was a neces- played by Peter Postlethwaite in Franny Armstrong’s film,The sa r y prelimina r y to a ne w u ndersta nd ing t hat t he act of breat h- Age of Stupid, think of architecture and building in the age of ing needed to be supported by supplies of fresh air, and that fossil fuel? Have people been more stupid about these issues ‘vitiated air’ must be removed. The English architect Henry even than about travel or food production, the two other main Roberts proposed 535 cubic feet per person per hour (approx- sources of global warming emissions? The Modern Movement imately 4.2 l/s per person) , and while he had no numerical in the 1920s inherited late 19th century beliefs in the value calculation for daylight, he insisted on its necessity for health. of sunlight and oxygen but, in its focus on openness, failed An English book of 1874 raises the ‘safe scale’ for dwellings to to achieve adequate levels of comfort. Since the 195os, the 3,ooo cubic feet (23.6 l /s), compa red to 1,ooo (7.9 l /s) per schola r increased availability of cheap energy and power has allowed for schools, and 2,5oo (19.7 l/s) per horse in stables. The same people in developed countries to feel entitled to wear summer author, William Eassie, records space standards per head for clot he s indoors in w inter a nd to s w itch on a ir-cond it ioning a nd various building types, ranging from 24o cubic feet (6,85 m3) shut the windows in summer. In 1969, Reyner Banham pub- for metropolitan lodging houses to 3,5oo (1oo m3) in the new lished The Architecture of the Well-Tempered Environment, hospital (Hôtel de Dieu) in Paris. In 1911, the Encyclopae- asking why the history of building services was so neglected dia Britannica called for minima of 1,8oo cubic feet of hourly compared to the history of style, but failed to spot the hidden air change for schools and 12,ooo for a horse, suggesting that history of passive climate control in architecture from vernac- progress was measured in ever more ambitious figures. The ular to the Modern Movement. Banham had almost limitless British and French alike were suspicious of German or Rus- faith in technology and in 1969 there were few professionals sian stoves and the stuffy rooms that they were thought to in architecture or building services to contradict him. encourage. With climates lacking the extremes of cold that these devices alone were able to render tolerable, they could Heat, comfort and health afford their culturally conditioned inefficiencies. The baseline for domestic heating is the open fire in the room, By 1911, gaslight was beginning to give way to electric light which may take the form of a more thermally efficient stove but during its period of dominance, it was seen as a compet- and, in the next stage of development, heat introduced into the itor for fresh air in a room, while the presence of an open fire space from a more distant source, such as a boiler or air-warm- and its chimney provided assurance of air movement. How ing device. As public buildings grew in size in the nineteenth were these air changes to be achieved? There needed to be century, new systems were pioneered owing to the impracti- inlets and outlets, coordinated in terms of the physics of air cality of maintaining open fires. The Palace of Westminster currents and the shape of the room. The open fire beloved in London, under construction in the 184os, was a test-bed for of the English was liable in its efficient extraction of air to some of these schemes. Systems of social improvement such pull in high-speed draughts through the cracks of typically as Victor Considérant’s projected Phalanstère, 184o, included ill-fitting doors and windows, but the flow of air could be rational space heating that would be apparent as soon as a car- regulated by vents, such as the ‘Sheringham Air Inlet’, set riage entered the roofed courtyard. The idea of circulating into outside walls and controlled by a rope pulley. In a Ger- heating and ventilation systems was applicable to domestic man book, Das Eigenheim des Mittelstandes, 19o9, a system spaces but met general resistance for economic or cultural rea- described as American is recommended for achieving the sons, perhaps in part because they lacked the familiar aspects flow of pre-warmed and moistened air through a duct at sit- of user-control involving application of localised heat and air ting height with the use of extractor vents. Electric fans and from open windows. cowls were used, but chiefly in public buildings. User inter- Knowledge of the composition of air followed on readily ference has always been a weak point in otherwise mechani- from ancient theories about the ill effects of moist or tainted cally perfect systems, however, and Britannica observed that

46 D&A spring 2010 issue 13 47 Opposite page left Mogger- in Chicago, the trees were part architects. The massive shadow- hanger House (1791–1812) in of the indoor-climate concept. providing elements made of fair- Bedfordshire, Great Britain, is They provided shade to pro- faced concrete did not become regarded as a key work of John tect the rooms from overheat- a characterising element of his Soane. Like his contemporary ing. When they were cut down architecture until the post-war Charles Parry, Soane assigned in the 1970s, an air-condition- period, as shown here in the case enormous importance to the ing system had to be installed in of the Shodan House, in Ahmeda- heating and ventilation of his order to maintain the previously bad, India (1956). r

ne buildings. In later generations of achieved level of indoor comfort. m u S

ook architects, his ideas were mostly Right Indoor climate in the age C r un d forgotten. Opposite page right Le Corbus- of stupidity: apartment build- Frahm ete Edm us us W P W

a ier was hesitant to adopt the ing in Japan with small air-con- m l IE IE K /V /V / Opposite page center At the IIT ’brise-soleil‘ concept, which was ditioning units integrated into .co r r r a tu tu Crown Hall by Mies van der Rohe actually developed by Brazilian the facade. ar ar tu ar otoli F : © © : : : OTO OTO OTO H H © : H OTO H P P P P people would close the vents on a cold day unless the incom- In parallel with the accumulation of techniques and stand- ous material; with a backing that will give thermal and sound refurbishment by Gunny Harboe with Atelier One. Originally, ing air was warmed. Furthermore, cold air was not necessar- ards of warmth and air management, one would expect to insulation in little thickness.’ With this belief, the benefits of Crown Hall had trees close to the building’s south and west ily fresh, unless the flow was working. If the incoming air find developments in window technology. The technical and therma l mass disappeared from view for a further 5o years, yet faces that provided solar shading in summer. It was when the was to be filtered through gauze and moistened by trays of performance standards achieved in the 17th century, whether there was a wide variety of approach during this time. In The trees died that the problems began – along with other sophis- water, these needed constant maintenance. in the form of English and Dutch sash windows or French New eco-Architecture, Alternatives from the Modern Move- ticated passive installations now incorporated in the building, These ventilation issues can hardly be considered separately casements, persisted into the nineteenth with little change, ment, 2oo2, Colin Porteous has made a good case that leading the trees have been replanted. from heating, for which the range of options emerged dur- although cast iron presented the opportunity to reduce the architects were more aware of the potential of passive climate The green credentials of interiors are now frequently meas- ing the course of the nineteenth century. Although America visual weight of the glazing bar. For cultural reasons, the control than we think, yet Le Corbusier’s early experiments ured in terms of the lowest possible air movement, achieved was in the lead, pressurised hot water heating was patented size of windows and their proportion to wall area remained in respiration exacte, involving fully mechanical internal cli- by a fanatical airtightness. The stage beyond this, as Porte- in London by an American, A. M. Perkins, in the 183os and unchanged or even diminished prior to modernism. Although mate, went disastrously wrong at both ends of the climate ous argued eight years ago, is for all buildings to engage with used by the architect Sir John Soane in his own house and the benefits of southern aspect were well understood, anxiety spectrum and were exacerbated by the absence of opening sunlight and daylight, ‘but not to the exclusion of other major museum. The American writer on domestic reform, Cather- about excessive sun played a restraining role. The Mediterra- windows. After he grudgingly adopted the brise-soleil (an idea eco-indicators of architectural process and product.’ Rather ine Beecher, proposed an American Woman’s Home in 1869 nean devices of external slatted shutters and internal blinds developed by his colleagues in Brazil) in the 193os, his appli- than replacing one form of stupidity with another, it seems that abolished all open fires and replaced them with a base- as a means of modifying solar gain were not commonly used cations of it were inconsistent in respect of appropriate orien- that a complete solution can only be achieved by balancing all ment furnace, closed ‘Franklin stoves’, and a hot water system in northern Europe, although verandas and external roller tation, while he ignored the unwanted effect of these concrete the complex factors that one hope will, in a short time, have running up through a central service core of the house. If not blinds (housed in wooden cases called lambrequins) were a shades storing solar heat and radiating it back at night, when become second nature. acted on immed iately a s a model, A meric a n hou se s were a head notable feature of the first decades of the century. another material could have avoided the problem. of their European counterparts in thermal comfort, assisted In terms of regulating internal air quality, a window is Much of today’s understanding of passive systems prob- by the widespread use of timber construction. The Victorian judged by its air tightness. In Britain, where timber windows ably derives from the period when European architects were insistence on large volumes of internal air was displaced by the were notoriously ill fitting, steel, which became widely avail- building low-budget schools and universities in developing more rational concern for flow, allowing the development of able in the 192os from Crittall and other manufacturers, was countries, but this knowledge was not deemed appropriate the typical low-ceilinged rooms of the Arts and Crafts move- viewed as an improvement, although it increased the conden- for developed countries. The oil crisis of 1973–4 provided a ment and Frank Lloyd Wright, who acknowledged the link sation a nd heat escape a ssociated with cold bridging. Therma l brief opportunity to take low-energy building further forward, between central heating and the open plan and also, in the breaks and double glazing in Crittall windows became normal but this was followed by the massive increase in oil use that Larkin Building, gave the nascent technique of air-condition- in the 198os but why, one wonders, did it take so long? one of the contributors to the film by Franny Armstrong, a ing a convincing architectural form. former Texan oil man, so memorably described as ‘The Age Architects of the early 19th century, such as Soane and The contradictory legacy of the Modern Movement of Stupid.’ Today everyone claims to be green, yet it is diffi- Charles Barry in England, seem to have taken heating and Frank Lloyd Wright is recognised as a stylistic precursor of cult to sift the genuine claims from the greenwash. In addi- ventilation more seriously than their counterparts at the end Modernism, but Banham pointed out how his Prairie Houses tion, there is less of a problem with new buildings than with of the century. In the years of rapid technological change not only integrated heating installations in the form of the the intelligent retrofitting of older ones, which is not yet seen around 1900, British architects were surprisingly resistant to building but provided solar shading in their deep overhangs, as a glamorous creative activity. innovations in other areas, such as steel and concrete con- with windows well placed for air circulation for hot weather. Historians following in Porteous’ path have a role to play struction. Britannica, looking expectantly towards an age of This was a model for an eco-Modernism that appears to have in untangling the historical record and giving retrospective cheaper electricity, presents the summation of nineteenth cen- gone into a long eclipse. ‘permission’ from the Modern Movement masters to current tury knowledge on heating and ventilation, both articles writ- In Europe, the aesthetic demands of Modernism as an and future architects to become green. The secret may not ten by James Bartlett, a lecturer at King’s College London abstract style, grounded though they were in Wright’s work, always lie in the actual buildings but in their surroundings, and a member of the Society of Architects, but one wonders resulted in an unmethodical approach to climate condition- as with Mies van der Rohe’s Crown Hall in Chicago, a fully- Alan Powers is Professor of Architecture and Cultural History at the Uni- whether the small number of architecture students at King’s ing in which passive heating and cooling were often put in a glazed structure that originally had only simple mechanical versity of Greenwich and has published widely on British architecture of the mid-20th century, including the book Britain in the series Modern Architec- College actually attended his courses. At the Ecole des Beaux subsidiary place. The classic 1934 English book on The Mod- services. In the 197os, air conditioning was installed, along tures in History (Reaktion Books). He is chairman of The Twentieth Century Arts in Paris, these topics were beneath consideration, and ern House by F. R. S. Yorke claimed that walls ‘may be of glass, with other piecemeal interventions that caused more prob- Society, the leading British voluntary organisation for the protection of build- could only be found at the Polytechnique. meta l a sbestos composition, or slabs or sheets of some imper vi- lems than they solved. The clue was only discovered in a recent ings after 1914.

48 D&A spring 2010 issue 13 49 DAYLIGHTING Taking a closer look: how daylighting By Christian Bundegaard Precision is everything in the Photography by Rasmus Norlander Centre for Indoor Environment DETAILS is brought into buildings. and Energy of the DTU. The devices are therefore re-cali- There is no point in saving energy, if it jeopardises the brated on a regular basis. Here is indoor climate. As wage costs exceed those of an anemometer for the measure- building energy consumption by a factor of about ment of slow air flows in a spe- cially constructed wind tunnel. 100, the extra cost of modest increases in ventilation will be small compared to the increased productivity due to higher performance and fewer lost work days.

ou t h e r e i n t he cont rol room you c a n hea r somebody breat h ing But the Centre is also capable of more specialised studies. One The Indoor inside the test chamber. The Ph.D. student running the exper- of the test chambers has 24 aircraft seats. During experiments, iment presses a button and the breathing gets heavier. Although test passengers are served genuine in-flight meals provided by it is far from the torture chamber of a sinister banana republic SAS, can watch a movie and read or take a nap; in other words Climate Change prison we are visiting, but the cosy workshop of the Interna- behave like real passengers during the 11-hour ‘flight’ that is tional Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy at The Tech- going nowhere, but is very helpful in allowing aircraft man- nical University of Denmark (DTU), the whole thing is a tiny bit ufacturers to study different cabin climate options. scary. Even indoor climate change is no light matter. In the controlled environment of another test chamber Peeking through the porthole, I realise that there is no resembling a living room in a standard Danish house, a few real person inside the chamber, only a doll – or as the indoor wooden boards are connected to the Centre’s gigantic tube climate experts call it, a “thermal mannequin”. As Professor system by several green and red hoses. These are the ‘win- Bjarne W. Olesen, the director of the Centre explains, it is dows’ of the test version living room – the changing temper- important to measure air velocit y in the immediate vicinit y of ature of real glass windows would be far too complicated to a person’s body in order to tune the fine balance between ven- handle. As we walk through the test facilities, we pass several tilation and draught. The former is vital for a pleasant indoor aluminium barrels the size of children and dressed up with climate, the latter is often the reason why office staff will hes- electric wires. They seem to merge in with the students, who itate to provide it by opening a window. Temperature and air study indicators while taking notes on their clipboards. Bjarne flow are the two key factors in getting the right conditions. W. Olesen smiles as he sees my bewilderment. “Some of the The thermal mannequin has to breathe, because even a per- members of our artificial test crew,” he explains. “We warm son’s breathing rate may affect the indoor climate. them up to 37°C and use them as stand-ins for real people in During the last 40 years the Centre has become the leader some experiments.” of its field, attracting scholars from all over the world to par- ticipate in its interdisciplinary research. They come from Ber- The problem of dampness and the myth of dry air keley and Harvard Public School of Health in USA, from the Sta nd ing in a heav i ly insu lated a nd hig h ly control led steel box, Waseda University in Japan, Germany’s Fraunhofer Institut where the ideal indoor climate conditions – and really nasty für Bauphysik, and Tsinghua University in China. ones – can be obtained, I ask Professor Olesen what the main It all began with the legendary Professor Fanger, whose problems of the indoor climate are. Like most of us, I imag- groundbreaking work from the 196os until his death in 2oo6 ine that dry air must be the big issue. But here I am up for my made him, and the centre he founded, world famous. Fanger first myth-busting surprise. was able to join together the complex interaction of the many “On the contrary. But it is indeed a common misunder- different parameters in measuring thermal comfort: tempera- standing. In fact, in most homes the air is too humid. A nor- ture conditions, air flow, activity level, people’s dress etc., into mal household with four people, two adults and two children, a single framework. This scheme is still used by researchers in expires approximately 10–12 litres of water every day. It is a the field. Based in one of the unpretentious, three-storey build- whole bucket of water they have to ventilate on a daily basis. ings of the pleasant DTU campus in Lyngby north of Copen- That is one of the reasons why ventilation is so important for hagen, Fanger’s successors, Bjarne W. Olesen and his team, the indoor climate. You may even say that it is the most impor- prov ide u s w it h a bet ter u ndersta nd ing of t he impact of indoor tant measure to take in order to improve the quality of the environment factors on human comfort, health and produc- indoor environment.” tivity. Thus an important research area is field and laboratory But then what about all the green pot plants we put in our studies of these factors in private homes and office buildings, offices, I try. “Well, I guess they look pretty,” replies Bjarne schools and other institutions. W. Olesen with a smile. The same goes for the humidifier my

50 D&A SPRING 2008 Issue 08 51 52 D&A Spring 2010 Issue 13 53 Previous spread Other than in Right DTU researchers use ‚ther- residential buildings, the air mal mannequins‘, which can even quality in the DTU‘s test labo- breathe and cough, to carry out ratories has to be kept under experiments on indoor air flows. control with a large amount of special equipment. This is the only way that the CO2 content of the air, for example, can be held down to a fraction of one per cent exactly.

mother used to hang on the radiators in an effort to fight the Energy efficiency versus indoor climate: ‘dry air’ in my 196os childhood home. In the dustbin with a new conflict on the horizon? them! In fact, damp is such a problem in both private homes But if air quality is important for the well-being of the staff, and schools that inadequate ventilation constitutes a major and thus for productivity, there may be a conflict between health risk. Living in too damp an environment you may the increasing call for more energy-efficient buildings and develop asthma or respiratory diseases. the need for ventilation. As tighter building envelopes and As ventilation seems to be the key to a pleasant and healthy high-efficiency windows make buildings more energy effi- indoor climate, one might wonder if the scientists could come cient, they also increase the need for adequate ventilation to up with a clear-cut definition of ventilation as opposed to compensate for the air that gets into buildings through cracks draught. But that seems not to be possible. This is hard sci- and small holes. Without increased ventilation, pertinent ini- ence only to a certain degree, and many of the crucial factors tiatives to mitigate the climate change through energy-saving depend on so-called body perceptions – how each of us per- measures may result in a deterioration of the indoor climate. ceives thermal differences, air flow, odours and so on. And when Bjarne W. Olesen approached the hostess of the Cli- “Mind you, there is a lot of psychology in this, and the well- mate Change Conference Copenhagen 2oo9, the then Dan- being of human beings is the final yardstick in all indoor cli- ish Minister for Climate and Energy, now EU Commissioner, mate research,” Bjarne W. Olesen admits. “That is why we use Connie Hedegaard, and proposed a section on the indoor so many resources paying test subjects to help us.” The point climate issue, he was turned down. In spite of this, he is still with this is that insisting on what the thermometer shows optimistic. does not help if you do not feel comfortable. Even if standards “There is a lot of focus on the outdoor climate and the apply, people’s opinions on what temperature is comfortable energy question, and in this situation our field tends to be a bit may differ in the range of 5–6 degrees. That makes it neces- neglected. But we try to communicate that there is no point sary for the researchers to rely heavily on questionnaires when in saving energy if it jeopardises the indoor climate. As wage they analyse a specific working environment. costs exceed those of building energy consumption by a fac- This is an area in which the centre has done intensive tor of about 1oo, the extra cost of modest increases in ventila- research in recent years. Compared to former times, when a tion will be small compared to the increased productivity of lot of people still laboured under harsh working conditions in perhaps 1o–15 percent due to higher performance and fewer mines or docks, most of us nowadays work in an office envi- lost work days. That does not mean that we should not make ronment. That has moved the focus of the Centre’s research buildings more energy efficient, but that it is also important from the dangers of different working conditions to comfort to make a simple calculation like this.” levels in offices. Or even the question of the effects of indoor If the climate inside our office buildings seems to have climate on productivity. been forgotten, the situation is even worse in schools. Recent “We have done a lot of research on this over the years,” says field intervention experiments in elementary schools in Den- Bjarne W. Olesen. “And it all points to the same conclusion - mark have shown that the fresh air supply is far below the that it would be devastating to ignore the indoor climate. If recommended level in many cases. As a poor indoor envi- you do not feel comfortable because it is too hot or the air is ronmental quality in office buildings can reduce adult’s pro- polluted due to a lack of ventilation or contamination of the ductivity, it is reasonable to suspect that a poor climate can ventilation system filter, you may find it harder to concentrate; also negatively affect the performance of children’s ability some will even get a headache or allergy symptoms, thus pro- to work in the classroom. Air quality is assessed through ductivity is bound to decrease.” CO2 measurement. In many countries that have applied air quality standards for schools for example, the level of CO2 should not exceed 1,ooo ppm (pa r t s per mi l lion). The above-

54 D&A Spring 2010 Issue 13 55 The average human being spends more than half of his time at home in bed. With the help of thermal mannequins, the parameters of thermal comfort can be investi- gated for such situations as well.

mentioned field intervention done by the International Cen- Children and indoor climate In an ongoing investigation conducted by The International Centre for Indoor tre for Indoor Environment and Energy indicated CO2 lev- Environment and Energy together with Odense University Hospit al, research - els in excess of 4,ooo ppm. ers are studying the homes and day-care facilities of 500 small children in the “From the research we have done on this,” Bjarne W. Olesen city of Odense in the south of Denmark. says, “we must conclude that by providing better ventilation, Recent research has revealed that the risk of developing asthma and allergy increases when children are exposed to plasticisers. It has been found performance would increase by the same degree as in offices, that there is a greater incidence of allergic diseases in children from homes that is 1o–15 percent. That is a whole year during a seven year with a high concentration of plasticisers in domestic dust. period. Which means that you can leave school after six years “We have already done some studies in Sweden and Bulgaria, and we are instead of seven,” he laughs. now taking a closer look at Danish day-care facilities,” says Associate Profes- sor Geo Clausen, who is heading the project. “This project is part of a general He is quite adamant, however, that the way to secure a interest in the recent explosive grow th in the number of children with asthma , better indoor climate in offices as well as in schools and pri- allergies and building-related illnesses. Our interest is directed towards air vate homes is through regulations. That is why he spends a quality because there is scientific evidence of a link between volatile organic lot of time taking part in eu deliberations on a revision of the compounds and health.” The interdisciplinar y research project is made possible by a donation of DK K energy certificate that sets various demands on the energy effi- 7 million. (€ 940,000) from the Villum Kann Rasmussen Foundation. ciency of buildings. “We hope to add a few lines on indoor climate to the text. Some countries – Portugal for example – have already written the indoor environment into the wording of their certificate. This is a lot of work, and it will take some time to succeed, but I believe this is the way forward. Looking back, we would never have made the progress on energy efficiency or sustainability without political involvement and the introduction of regulations. For us, it is a good way of making use of our research.” In fact, it is astonishing that a vital substance like the air we breathe is less controlled than many other aspects of our daily life. As Bjarne W. Olesen says, “You can make the comparison with the way we treat food. Every tiny item in the supermarket cooler must be labelled with product information. But you ‘eat’ 15 kilos of air every day without no product declaration at all.”

Christian Bundegaard is a freelance writer based in Copenhagen. A former Head of Communications at 3XN Architects, Assistant Editor at Danmarks Radio (Danish Broadcasting Corporation) and Literary Director of Gyldendal Publishing, he is also the author of several books, articles and radio features on a diverse range of subjects, including architecture, design and urbanism.

56 D&A Spring 2010 Issue 13 57 VELUX Dialogue Architects in a dialogue Interview with James Carpenter with VELUX. By Brian Woodward For the American architect and artist James Carpenter, daylight is an essential means to improving the quality of interior and urban spaces – and thus improving the quality of life of human beings. This spring, Carpenter was awarded the Building Component Award by the VILLUM and VELUX Foundations for his work related to daylight. In an exclusive interview with Daylight & Architecture, Brian Woodward spoke to the New York- “Architecture is there based artist about his latest works, the notion of ‘volumetric light’ and its implication on the future to reveal the force of development of buildings and windows. daylight”

If Paris is the city of light, then Manhattan can be employed to create a different expe- “The key to the successful might be called be the borough of daylight. rience,” says T.J. Gottesdiener, Managing project’s development is focused experimentation”, is how James At least according to 59-year-old James Partner on the 7 World Trade Project for Carpenter describes the way he Carpenter, the hard-to-categorize daylight the design architect Skidmore, Owings and goes about his work. His New York artist, architect, sculptor, glass expert, lec- Merrill. “Jamie ha s become a par t of the pro - office James Carpenter Design turer and idea man who ha s c alled the island fession now but what he has always contrib- Associates (JCDA) made a name for itself through experimental home for most of the past 40 years. Today, uted was an artist’s perspective.” work with glass and light. Manhattan is also a gallery for many of Car- Seen as a whole, Carpenter’s projects penter’s most spectacular works. “We have can be described as an ongoing attempt to incredible qualities of light here in Manhat- reflect the natural world in built environ- tan,” Carpenter explains, “because we are ments. And here, Carpenter says, daylight surrounded by water and we have a lot of is a s e s sential to building a s a brick s and mor- sunshine each year. That may not always be tar. I talked to Carpenter recently as he was apparent to people on street level until they in the middle of a tour of lecturing and vis- step outside the city; until they stand on the iting project partners in Europe. I asked him Brooklyn Bridge and can see the interaction to talk about the big idea that is driving him between the light and the landscape from now and whether his ideas about light could afar.” C arpenter ha s been honoured this year one day be brought into the lives and homes with the Daylight and Building Component of ordinary people. Award for his lifelong accomplishments in daylighting design. He will receive the award, BW You’ve won a substantial prize, but can and the €100,000 prize that goes with it, at daylight truly be called a building compo- a ceremony on March 2 in Copenhagen. nent? Most of Carpenter’s works are large scale: the podium wall at the new 7 World JC I believe there are two ways of looking at Trade Center, his Dichroic Light Field on the daylight. The first is more traditional and in facade of the Millennium Tower or his Ice this view architecture relies on daylight to Falls in Hearst Tower. Architects like Nor- reveal its forms. In this way, you could say man Foster, Richard Meier and David Childs that daylight is in the ser vice of architec ture; call upon Carpenter’s JCDA studio when it is used to enhance the architecture. they face particularly difficult daylighting The second is based on the idea that day- challenge s . “ What Jamie brought to 7 World light is essentially environmental informa- o ld v Trade Center was another point of view – tion and here architecture can help to reveal og r K one that doesn’t necessarily think pragmat- the deeper complexit y of daylight . Architec -

: Mo rten : ically about building but rather that looks ture is there to reveal the force of the day- O T O at how certain materials and technologies light. I subscribe to this second view. PH

58 D&A Spring 2010 iSSUE 13 59 Left The fact that a window can Right In the atrium of the Hearst be more than just a glazed open- Tower in New York (architects: ing was demonstrated by James Foster and Partners), James Car- Carpenter with his ‘Periscope penter Design Associates cre- Window’ in a house in Minneap- ated the “Ice Falls” project. olis (1995–1997). A system con- Prisms made of cast glass form a sisting of mirrors and lenses staircase-like construction over projects sunlight onto an inte- which water flows. On sunny rior frosted-glass panel. A direct days, the interplay of glass and view of the outside would have water generate countless reflec- been much more boring in this tions and refractions of light. case: the wall of the neighbouring house is only a few metres away from the window.

BW You work a lot with skyscrapers and us. Its skin is meant to mirror the conditions The concept we arrived at was creating a massive urban structures, how can they of the sky and daylight over Manhattan and volumetric skin, so that the building can play reveal the force of daylight? I believe this is the feature that most people with light on two different surfaces – both find remarkable . We did this by using cur ved the inner and the outer. And once we had fig - JC Light in the urban environment is espe- steel spandrels and polished reflective sills. ured out how to do that, we also figured out cially complex because of the way it is influ- It works because daylight is reflected off how to make what was originally a huge con- enced by adjacent buildings and structures the spandrels and onto the large sheets of crete vault interact with its environment. and environmental factors. That was the glass that make up the skin of the building case with 7 World Trade. and because the glass contains almost no BW How did you do that? Something I am very focused on is the iron , the skin of the s tr uc ture is exceptionally concept of volumetric light or the idea that clear and c an c apture the color of the sk y and JC There are two ways, depending on daylight is not falling on a single plane but that natural light around it exactly as it is. time and night-time. During daylight hours, there is the abilit y to create various qualitie s we created the volumetric effect by wrap- of light simult aneously. Think of what we see BW What about the podium wall that you ping the vault in two layers of stainless steel in nature, for instance. You can actually see designed at the base of the building? screen panels with a small cavity between the volume of light in a cloud or in the ocean them, which was needed to meet the venti- or even on the leaf of a tree. Light takes on JC The reason that the building had to be lation requirements for the electrical trans- the quality of a solid, even though it is not a constructed so quickly in the first place was formers. The panels are made of vertically solid. It seems to have a physical presence that there is a power subst ation in the ba se - oriented triangular wires welded in a spe- and a volume to it. That can be created by ment that serves much of lower Manhattan cific pattern and the front screen wires are capturing light being transmitted off of var- and so it had to get up and running as soon highly polished while the back wires are plas- ious structures simultaneously. as possible. This building had to go up fast tered with glass beading. During the day, the and that was a requirement from not only outer layer of the triangular wire reflec t s light BW You mentioned 7 World Trade, which the developer but the authorities. The sub- according to the wires’ orientation and any is remarkable both for its environmental s t ation ex tends 82 feet up from ground level light that penetrates the outer layer is diffused qualities (it was the first LEED certified sky- and it turned out to be one of the biggest by the back layer’s bead-blasted surface. scraper in the US) and its security consider- challenges in the project. At dusk and again at dawn, LED lights ations. From a design standpoint, what do The problem was that the base, the are used to illuminate the back screen of the you think is most remarkable? power substation itself, was a solid con- wall and give the impression that the entire crete vault. David [ed: architect David substation vault is a glowing, cobalt blue. JC The building has a depth of light, a vol- Childs of SOM, design architects for the This unites the podium wall with the glass ume that is created by both the outer and overall project] wanted us to get involved curtain wall of the tower. the inner surface working together so that with how you might conceptualize a build- We also mounted cameras on the build- we have the impression that the building is ing that would unite the two very different ing that are tied into a sof tware sys tem that constantly playing with light. The building concept s of a concrete vault and interac tion can read pedestrian movements and then is really a recording of the dynamics around with the external environment. transform them into 80-foot-high verti-

60 D&A Spring 2010 iSSUE 13 61 Grids made of triangular stain- 7 World Trade Center, the first less-steel rods lend structure to completed new building at the panels on the base of 7 World Ground Zero after the terrorist Trade Center. Like the entire attack of 2001, was Carpenter’s building envelope, this facade biggest project to date. The dou- also consists of two layers. ble glass facade that James Car- penter developed jointly with architect’s office SOM makes the office building seem to merge with the blue of the sky.

At night as well, the base of 7 World Trade Center also unfolds its effect. Blue LEDs result in a kind of light artefact, in front of which the stainless-steel grids look like much more than just a structured composition of lines.

cal bars of light within the podium skin, so that there is an oppor tunity to use ver y sim- when you look perpendicularly or horizon- JC Absolutely. We now understand that BW You mentioned urbanization. How do James Carpenter, 59, artist, architect and ma- that when someone walks by, these bars of ple optic al sys tems idea s and have them dis- tally across the space at the window, the sus t ainabilit y and conser vation of re source s we ensure daylight is available in the homes terials expert, is the winner of the 2010 Daylight and Building Component Award given by the light follow them. The idea is that the light creetly integrated into a window system. view you see is in fact the view you would is basically driven by density and that urban of future city dwellers? VILLUM and VELUX Foundations. Carpenter re- will eventually engage the cultural life that Using reflectivity and lenses or mirrors can otherwise get by looking straight up in the densification is one of the big challenges for ceived the award, and a grant of €100,000, for develops around the building and personalize give what we think of a s a window today, the sky. Using mirrors brings the view of the the future. JC T here is no que s tion that if you are speak- his contribution to the understanding, knowledge the urban experience for everyone. abilit y to gather a higher amount of daylight . sky down into the window plane and then, One obvious way they are linked is in ing of any urban context, there is very little and interest in daylighting at a ceremony in early March in Copenhagen. This means, effectively, that the window through a serie s of lense s and diff used gla s s , how we can minimize utilization of artificial thinking or regard being given to daylight. Carpenter is founder of James Carpenter De- BW How can we integrate or adapt your sees more sky brightness and that bright- it reconstructs the view of the sky. light. If you can maximize the use of day- The need to investigate ways of both inter- sign Associates (JCDA) based in New York City. thoughts about light on a residential scale? ness is then transmitted or brought into the When you look at that window today, light and create systems that productively nalizing and bringing into the residential Throughout his career, he has worked collabora- Is that even possible? building through various types of reflectors you think that there is uninterrupted depth. project and utilize daylight, those same sys- realm qualities of daylight and qualities of tively with pre-eminent architects and engineers in the United States and abroad including Norman or various types of finishes on the glass that There is a great deal of brightne s s and visual tems could be activated by very low levels the phenomenon of light is important. Foster, Richard Meier (SOM), and Michael Van JC There is no question people are spending perceptually make you feel like there is more information in terms of view that is brought of artificial light and be able to take small Light is the medium through which other Valkenburgh on creating the artistic complement more and more time indoors these days, and light available in the environment. into that window that is other wise not there , amounts of electric light and distribute it visual information is brought to us. I mean, to many significant buildings. that create s the need to bring more light into so it is basically a way of reinvestigating very over large areas. shadows, projection of image, images of residential situations. Perception of light is BW So you are talking about creating illu- simple optical principles and then applying Again, it is this idea of playing with the landsc ape or whatever it may be - obviously something we do not develop enough in res- sions? About looking at a window instead them to very conventional systems so they perception of light. And it is not limited to light is always a component of that informa- idential design. of through it? become something that is more dynamic and windows – on the exteriors of buildings it tion transmission. Typically we think of light as something more active relative to their ability to gather would operate the same way. In the evening Using light to create a different reality that strikes a single surface and then that JC Well, you could say that – but, again it and display qualities of light. you could very easily have exterior lighting from what is actually outside the building surface reflects the light back to the eye.I f is really about changing the way we think using much lower levels of light if we actu- is one of the things I am quite interested in. you begin to think about volumetric light, about what a window is and using it to not BW Is that a solution that is accessible to ally used building sur face s and perhaps even The window does not have to have a direct though – that is , where the s ame light s trike s only solve design challenges but to open up the general public? Will it ever be? the paving surfaces as very discreet reflec- correlation to what is immediately out side it . one surface and then perhaps a diffused sur- entirely new design opportunities. tors so that buildings are activated as a light There is a way to construct a view, and the face, perhaps a reflective surface and then Our Dayton Window project is a great JC I think these things can definitely be done source themselves. perception of a different reality that exists another diffused surface – then you actu- example. This was a situation in a private very cost effectively, it is simply a matter of Then there is the question of ther- outside the window, by using these ideas ally use the same light source to reveal itself residence where there was a need to have using qualities of reflectivity, diffusion and mal performance. Windows have become of periscopes and lenses. I think the key to in multiple ways on multiple surfaces. This daylight in the house, but two meters from brightness through optics and that could be extremely efficient butI just think there are connecting to nature in the built- residential creates the perception of greater amounts, the side of the house was another building done with very inexpensive materials. Met- still opportunities to make them efficient in environment is views or the way shadows depth and richne ss of light . The concept c an and the view was totally obstructed by its als , pla s tic s or ver y simple materials could be different ways, not just in terms of thermal and imagery can be actively brought into a be used to help distribute and give differ- wall. If there we had used a traditional clear very easily integrated into existing window per formance but also in terms of optic al per- living or workspace. ent perception of light’s qualities indoors. glass window, and it was a large, 3× 5 meter sys tems; it would jus t be a mat ter of working formance. And without one compromising Think of all the dark apartments and So that is one way. window, there would have been absolutely conscientiously with a company to develop the other. We definitely have the technol- row houses in all the cities of the world that The other way I see this happening, and no view and it was dark. those ideas as a new product. ogy today to improve those systems, maxi- could benefit from this. And there will only it is something we are concerned with, is By using a series of mirrors and simple mize daylight availability and maximize the be more of them in the future. to think more creatively about the notion lense s and a large sheet of diff used gla s s , we BW Can your ideas about residential build- conservation of heat gain that occurs in a of what the window is. Our perspective is basically created a type of periscope where ing be linked to sustainable thinking? building itself.

62 D&A Spring 2010 iSSUE 13 63 VELUX Insight Architecture for people – building with VELUX.

The house that gives more than it takes

”We are not particularly idealistic or green but we are influenced by the current debate on reducing CO2-emissions“, explains Sophie Simonsen. “So when we were given the offer to move here, we thought it was a marvellous opportunity to do something worthwhile. Here we are part of the future and I hope that, in the long term, it will inspire our children.”

64 D&A SPRING 2010 Issue 13 65 By Jakob Schoof Previous spread ’Home for Life‘ at twilight. The open indoor lay- Photography by Adam Mørk and Morten Fauerby out of the house is visible even from the garden. Nearly all the Home for Life in Lystrup near Århus, Denmark, is a new rooms receive daylight; from a CO -neutral, one-family house with a special focus on living room one and a half sto- 2 reys high, it is possible to look indoor climate. It was built as the first of six experimen- outside in all four directions of tal houses in the VELUX Model Home 2020 project. the compass. Currently, the Simonsens – a family of five – are experi- encing and testing the experiment to find out whether Left Many details in ’Home for Life‘ have the goal of maximum the house allows the sun to power their lives and possible transparency: it is pos- whether it gives more than it takes in the long run. sible to look through the staircase towards the entrance to the building while the partition walls on the upper floor are par- tially glazed in order to let daylight in.

The way in which buildings are planned and project set out to focus on the use of renew- The de sign of the house ensure s that all rooms cons tr uc ted is changing rapidly. While global able energy in buildings at the same time as enjoy unobstructed views onto the surround- climate change may be the most important creating optimal user comfort by utilising ing countryside. Most rooms receive daylight driver in this development, the challenge is daylight and giving the user active control from at least two directions. The positive not confined to energy issues alone. Accord- of light, air and temperature. effects of this strategy on the inhabitants’ ing to a World Health Organization report, The Simonsen family from Lystrup, north well-being are obvious: when the sun strikes 30% of all new buildings worldwide have of År hus , are cur rently tr ying to f ind out what one of the facades of Home for Life on a hot varying degrees of deficient indoor climate. living in this kind of building really feels like. summer ’s day, the solar screens on this fac ade Can we do better than this? Can we create In summer 20 0 9, they lef t their conventional will go down, but the rooms behind it still buildings that contribute positively both to ’70s bungalow to move into Home for Life. receive glare-free, indirect daylight from the global climate and to human well-being? For one year, they are testing the living envi- other side, which both improves visual com- “One experiment is better than a thou- ronment, which, in certain ways, functions fort and means the electric lights do not have sand expert views,” VELUX founder Villum differently from what they are used to. to be switched on. Kann Rasmussen once said. In line with this “We are not particularly idealistic or Sverre Simonsen is very enthusiastic about principle, VELUX has initiated the Model green but we are influenced by the current the outcome of this s trategy : “ The mos t notice -

Home 2020 project, six experimental build- debate on reducing CO2-emissions,” explains able dif ference is the light . T he light that come s ings that combine several objectives: to Sophie Simonsen. “So when we were given in is fantastic! We’re flooded with it and on days consider energy use in buildings in a holis- the offer to move here, we thought it was when we would have several lamps switched tic perspective; to create an efficient build- a marvellous opportunity to do something on in our old house, here we need none – every ing envelope with technology and design; worthwhile. Here we are part of the future room get s daylight from at lea s t t wo direc tions . and, at the same time, to achieve the high- and I hope that , in the long term , it will inspire The house has an amazing panoramic view – est standards of indoor comfort and health our children.” and in the utility room especially, the country- for the user. side feels like it’s part of the house because the More information on the experiments Rooms with a view – slate floor continues out to the terrace.” is available at www.velux.com/model- and plenty of daylight On the ground floor, the living space with home2020 Home for Life, which stands on a suburban the open kitchen area even has windows on Home for Life, the first building to be lot in Lystrup, represents in many ways the (and views out to) all four sides. Here, the bor- completed as part of Model Home 2020, is aspirations of homeowners in the early 21st der s bet ween inside and out side are dis solved the re sult of an interdisciplinar y de sign proc - century. It is home to a family of five, with a as far as possible. Many windows and patio e s s concentrated on three main parameter s: large, undivided living space on the ground door s reach to the f loor, which make s the room energy, comfort and visual appeal. All three floor and individual rooms above. This spatial appear larger and more airy, while roof win- parameters should complement each other concept enables each family member both dows placed high up bring daylight deep into and, by so doing, maximise the quality of life to spend time with the others and to with- the space. in the home and the world around it. The draw from the group if needed.

66 D&A SPRING 2010 Issue 13 67 ”With Home for Life, we pursued three main goals – energy, Right Conceptual section of the “The family experiences that they comfort and aesthetics – which should all have an equal building. The transverse ven- use less artificial lighting than they tilation profits from the chim- Energy for solar cells priority. Regarding the indoor climate, we put special ney effect that arises in the (electricity) did in their old house. According to emphasis both on daylight and natural ventilation, which is high, open living room. Air flows Sverre, this is partly because there Direct energy in through the terrace win- (heat gain why the building has quite a lot of windows. We wanted to through panel) are not as many lamps in the get daylight from at least two directions into all bedrooms dows into the building, where it house, but mostly because of the becomes warmer and then flows and living spaces. This made a lot of thinking necessary, Energy for solar abundance of natural light, which out again through the roof win- Natural collectors ventilation (hot water) but in the end proved well worth the effort. dows. (stack effect) the family enjoys and mentions as

In summer, the house operates entirely on natural Heat a very positive element in the recovery ventilation, which ensures a good indoor climate and helps (reuse heat) house; a comfort factor some- save energy since no ventilators are needed. The key to times conflicting with the auto- Natural ensuring the necessary airflow indoors was placing the ventilation mated sun screening – ‘what is (stack effect) roof windows high up in the rooms. This creates a natural Heat remarkable about the house is the pump chimney effect but prevents drafts, which can otherwise Water tank masses of daylight, and I do want be a nuisance to the inhabitants.” that’.”

Amdi Worm, Esbensen Consulting Engineers Extract from interviews by Johanne Mose Entwistle, Alexandra Institute

Simple but intelligent: ated automatically to prevent overheating. the family´s needs and well - being . T he high - self-sufficient energy concept of the house. night that the air in the house is good. The the indoor climate concept Movement sensors turn the lighting on and est priority was to ensure the framework for When electric power failed once, how- rooms are comfortable all the time because The design is focused on energy and con- off to avoid excessive electricity use. family life, with the corresponding data on ever, they discovered just how much they the warm air is ventilated and you c an adjus t temporary aesthetics but based on common energy consumption and other figures com- depended on electricity for controls. The the indoor climate to suit the air outside,” sense and use of low-tech solutions wher- Living in an experiment and monitoring ing further down the list. Home for Life fea- change from natural ventilation to mechan- says Sverre Simonsen. ever possible. Around 50% of the annual the outcome tures new products, new technologies and ical ventilation (winter situation) was expe- Sverre and Sophie follow the screen heating needs of the house is met by pa ssive Home for Life is being scientifically moni- several prototypes that were used here for rienced as a lack of fresh air. information on energy production and solar gains through the energy-optimised tored (to maximise experience and knowl- the first time and in a unique constellation. The Simonsens observed an abundance consumption with great interest, and it is windows. All windows have both external edge-sharing) by a team from the Engineering This is an important aspect of the exper- of daylight, which led to a lower use of elec- important for the family to try to meet the blinds that provide shade when necessary, College of Århus, the Alexandra Institute, iment and reflects the aim to gain knowl- tricity. The monitoring will continue for the performance target of the project. It gives and interior sun screens that prevent glare VELFAC and Window Master. Engineers edge by testing theories, as well as to gain next two seasons and focus on the differ- them great joy when they see that the house during the day and heat loss at night. The and anthropologists are studying how the and share experience through innovation. No ence in performance between natural and produces energy and that their own energy windows are also a key factor to the ven- Simonsens interact with their new home, conclusions are made at this point , but some mechanical ventilation, on further program- consumption has fallen. “On Sunday it was tilation: they provide fresh air - especially especially with the intelligent building oper- First floor plan important lessons have been learned during ming and configuration of the control sys- evident when the sun came out. I just had in summer, when they replace the mechan- ation sys tem that controls the heating , light- the monitoring phase. tems, on the behaviour, preferences and to take a look: does this really influence pro- ical ventilation system altogether. The key ing, ventilation and sun screening. They also Components and technologies need time experiences of the family as well as on how duction? Yes! It does! That was a real ´yip- to this is strategic window placement. Roof measure the actual energy use and energy and effort to fine-tune configuration and the benchmarks for the energy and climate pee! ’ experience! It is ac tually really good f un windows were placed high up in the rooms production of the house as well as numer- optimisation, as well as adaptation to the performance that were initially calculated and wonderful, just wonderful […]. These to let warm exhaust air escape easily. This ous indoor climate factors such as light lev- family´s needs. In the first months of opera- during the design phase compare to the small experiences: yes, they make a differ- creates a natural chimney effect inside the els, air temperature, CO 2 concentration and tion, a high level of automation in buildings actual performance during operation. ence, there is something in our house pro- rooms, which draws fresh air in through the humidity. At the same time, outdoor envi- is par ticularly demanding in terms of adjus t- Some of the Simonsens suffer from ducing, there is some sense to all this. It is lower facade windows. ronment al fac tor s such a s solar intensit y, air ment and tracing possible sources of error. allergies, hay fever and respiratory prob- giving back, it’s great!” Many components of the house, espe- temperature, humidity and wind speed are Room heating has presented challenges, lems, so everyone is looking forward to cially of the facades, are automatically con- constantly measured to assess their influ- par tly due to the unique overall concept and seeing whether the indoor climate and the trolled by an intelligent building operation ence on energy balance and indoor climate. partly to the use of the house. One exam- choice of materials in the house will allevi- system but can be manually overridden by ple is the pre-set night temperature, which ate these problems. “We are excited to see remote control. Windows open and close First results was raised when the new little sister arrived, whether the good ventilation and correct Facts automatically, depending on CO2 levels and Data on the house’s energy production, as essential activities also take place in the materials play a role and whether we will Partners: VELFAC and VELUX room temperatures. At night, windows and energy consumption, temperature and CO house at night and require the s ame set tem - see a general improvement in our health and Architects: aart, Århus, DK 2 Energy concept: esbensen Rådgivende blinds are closed automatically to avoid for the first six months have now been col- perature a s during day time . On one occ a sion , well-being. We need to go through a pollen Ingeniører, Århus, DK heat loss, but during the day the exterior lected. During this time, the house was con- the district heating in the area shut down season before we can arrive at a valid opin- Turn-key contractor: KFS Boligbyg, and interior shading elements are also oper- tinuously adjusted to perform according to Ground floor plan but the Simonsens kept warm thanks to the ion. But we did notice from the very first Støvring, DK

68 D&A SPRING 2010 Issue 13 69 DIARY August 10, 2009

In an online diary, the Simonsens describe I n do or cli m ate I n the fi r st d a ys we n otice d th at how they have experienced their new the a ir w a s f r esh a n d g o o d. We home and its interior climate so far. Here sle ep well at n ig ht, b etter th a n is an extract of their account: in our old house. In the first days of Ju ly ther e w a s a heat w ave (27- 28°C) but the h ou se did n ot fe el too hot. The covering over the terrace and balcony facing south, to- g ether w ith the ve nt th r ou g h the high-level roof windows on the first flo or, a pp a r e ntly work a s i nte n de d. Then the weather changed on 4-5 of Ju ly: clou d y a n d w i n d y w ith sh ow- ers. The living room is perceived “In the beginning I didn’t think as a cool room, but we blame it on moving back would be a problem at all. the fact that the floor heating has n ot kept p ace w ith the ch a n g e i n Now I think it will be more difficult the weather. Since then, it has re- than we imagine. We look forward to mained cool in the house, espe- being back with our good neighbours but cially in the living room. We have I will miss the light, to say nothing of noticed that windows are open even though we feel cold. There the view. I can feel that here and now. is a draft so we wrap ourselves And we have already decided to have i n bla n kets a n d close the w i n- several roof windows installed to give dows with the remote control….. us a view of the sky – and more light.” but alas, half an hour later they open automatically again! Ha- h a, yes we a r e r ea lly aw a r e of the de ceitf u l D a n ish su m m er!) It su r prise d u s a little th at we perceive the house as being cold; the te m p er atu r e set-p oi nt is several degrees higher than the 21 degrees or so we had in our previous h o m e. It m a y b e d ue to the m ove- m e nt i n the a ir, p a r tly f r o m the frequently open windows, partly f r o m the Nila n ve ntilatio n system. Also noted a slight draft from the ve ntilatio n d ucts i n the living room and kitchen where the ceiling height is not so high, O: a n d the a ir flow f r o m the ve nti- T latio n d ucts felt m or e dir e ct. PHO We agreed to give it some time to experience the indoor climate with n a r y detache d h ou se. Fr o m the fa m- a headache from all the light. It the change in weather, but at the ily room we have a view to the taught us to lower the awnings and end of July we contacted Window- east, south and west through large r oll dow n the la r g e wo o de n ver - Master anyway to change the con- panorama windows. (...) In this tical blinds a bit when the light trol parameters. They were set by r o o m, w her e we sp e n d m ost of ou r is str o n g est. P r o ble m solve d! the li m its w ith i n w h ich the w i n- ti m e, we h ave b e e n a ble to fol- The other problem is that although dows should be open, how much and low the clouds wandering across the la r g e w i n dows g ive u s a fa n- for h ow lo n g. It m a de a n i m m e- the sk y. It is esp e cia lly b ea uti- tastic view, passers-by get a good diate improvement but it is too ful when the weather changes. The view of us inside. Especially in ea rly to sa y w hether th is is the sun over Århus Bay while dark gray the eve n i n g s w he n ther e is lig ht final answer - because in the mean- skies come in from the west fol- inside and it is dark outside, the ti m e it is n ice weather a g a i n. lowe d by r a i n, thu n der a n d lig ht- family room and living room work as We will certainly return with news ning ... and then again clearing up magnets for a look inside. And in a b out the i n do or cli m ate! (...) from the west. Really beautiful! the eve n i n g the ex terior aw n i n g s There are also a couple of disad- in the family room are useless. Lights va nta g es to these p a n or a m ic w i n- With such a large lighted ‘display There is a wonderful light and dows. The sunlight can be so window’ it is understandable that view in Home for Life! You can strong that you have to squint. th ose w h o w a lk or d rive by a uto m at- clea rly se e th at the w i n dow a r ea It w a s A n n a, a g e d 6, w h o fi r st n o - ically want to see in. It is obvi- is m uch la r g er th a n i n a n or di- tice d th at a n d sa id th at she h a d ou s th at we ne e d so m e cu r ta i n s.

70 D&A SPRING 2010 Issue 13 71 Septe mber 30, 2009 it’s a little funny to be watched Dece mber 21, 2009 in the living room on sunny days. a n d stu die d th is w a y - eve n by a But unfortunately it also works It is autumn and after three months professional anthropologist. It The Climate Conference COP15 is fin- the other w a y r ou n d. T he te m p er- in Home for Life, everyday life is would be nice to know what thoughts ishe d, O ba m a a n d the other world ature on the ground floor of the becoming more routine. At least she has and what personal details lea der s h ave g o ne h o m e. T he m o o d h ou se is u su a lly a deg r e e or two o ne for m of ever yd a y life, b e- are now being noted down about our of the m e dia h a s sw u n g b etwe e n o p- u n der the set p oi nt a n d i n r e- cause there is always something family, our ordinary lives and the timism and disappointment along cent weeks especially we have not happening. Technicians, journal- w a y we bri n g u p ou r ch ild r e n... the way; the political momentum up r ea lly b e e n a ble to ke ep w a r m. ists, fi l m cr e ws, a r ch ite cts, m u n ic- On the other hand, there are also to the Conference was greater than It w a s fi ne th at fitter s a n d a n e ngi- ipality people and a few VIPs have m a n y g o o d q uestio n s a n d ‘exer- at any other time, yet it ended neer came on Friday to do something passed through our home in a steady cises’, which makes us wonder a with an unaccomplished mission. about the settings and repair the str ea m si nce we m ove d i n. (...) little about why we actually do B efor e h is dep a r tu r e, USA’s P r esi- ventilation system, which proved to A n d the n ther e is M or te n a n d Jo- th i n g s a s we do a n d w h at g o o d i n- dent Obama held a press conference be all over the place. But so far it hanne, our ’house photographer’ d u stria l desig n a n d g r a p h ic ex- for the American press, where he has not helped. It is believed now and ’house-anthropologist’. They pressions mean, whether we accept referred to the climate challenge that there must be a fault in some are both able to enter into our and use new technology; such as not only as a threat to our planet of the flo or heati n g va lves or p er- daily lives without disruption. It w he n we h a d to d r aw a m a p of ou r but a lso a s a g r eat g r ow th o pp or- haps some of the underground pipes is amazing how they can get our m ove m e nts i n the h ou se o n a we ek- tu n ity for A m erica n i n d u str y. At are blocked – a problem that can children to behave in front of the d a y a n d a we eke n d d a y. T he exer- the same time he acknowledged that arise in any building. And it fits camera, beaming with smiles and cise sh owe d we wer e r ea lly q uite the USA h a d b e e n lacki n g i n lea der- in very well with our feeling that happiness, in picture after pic- content to stay in about 40 m² of sh ip i n th is a r ea i n r e ce nt yea r s. the flo or o n o ne side of the kitche n- ture. These are the same children the h ou se – th at’s w her e m ost of Here in Europe we turn to the fore- family room is warm, while the who usually hide or stick their ou r ti m e is a pp a r e ntly sp e nt. f r o nt of develo p m e nt, w ith the Ac- south side is very cold – an ob- tongues out when we parents try (...) Now we have finally found out inner curtains automatically go tive House concept and Home for servation that has now been con- affluent societies where they can to ta ke a g o o d pictu r e of the m. w h at m ost of the butto n s a r e for down at night to keep heat indoors, Life as good examples. A number of firmed with the arrival of winter. get the best conditions in life. B ut w her e do es a n a nth r o p ol- but a lig ht still sw itches it- but only if it is cold outside. It’s k n ow n te ch n olog ies a n d ne w pr o d- It is for the m a n d succe e d- ogist come into the picture? self off at undesirable times. The s m a r t! ... A n d it w a s a g r eat su r- ucts are being tested in conjunc- C h ild r e n for life i n g g e ner atio n s th at the cli- Well, Jo h a n ne work s for the Al- other evening I was sitting at my prise the first few times when they tion with CO2-minimised building Si nce the la st r ep or t, a ne w r e- mate challenges are indeed very exandra Institute in a parallel computer in the family room, con- a r e a ll r u n n i n g at the sa m e ti m e! materials and automation of the inforcement has been added to the present. Maybe this is scary - if project called Minimum Configura- centrating hard. Every now and Laundry is still dried in the home indoor environment. test family. On 30 November, a it g o es a s ba d ly a s the m ost p es- tio n Ho m e Auto m atio n, w her e Ho m e the n I r o cke d back a n d for th a n nex. Now th at it is a utu m n, we T he g o a l is clea r: a d well- hea lth y, b ou nci n g ba by g irl w ith si m istic scie ntists pr e dict. for Life, a n d we a s tester s, a r e o n the ch a ir ju st o nce to m a ke can see drying takes longer. But it ing in which architecture, com- long black hair came into the world. It is n a ive to th i n k th at devel- o n ly o ne p a r t of a la r g er stu d y. sure the light did not go out. It still works and we can just manage. fort and sustainability go hand So now there are sleepless nights, opments can be stopped and that It’s a b out h ow u ser - d rive n i n n ova- g ives a w h ole ne w m ea n i n g to “ac- Autu m n a lso m ea n s the b eg i n- in hand. Energy accounts are ex- br ea stfe e di n g a n d a lot of la u n- we can spare ourselves from glo- tion works, how users acquire new tive h ou se”, but it m u st lo ok a ning of the heating season and the p e cte d to e n d w ith a siza ble su r- dry for the test family. It feels bal warming. The developing coun- te ch n olog y a n d h ow a pplie d te ch- bit str a n g e f r o m the outside... heat pump has now come into use. plus, so that house can not only like we are being sent home in Ludo tries have a full head of steam nology can help save energy for to- Meanwhile, the interior cur - We have not noticed it much in the be called an Active House in it- and the two older children suddenly and their legitimate aspirations m or r ow’s h o m es ... we th i n k!) ta i n s a n d ex terior sola r pr o - last few months as the collector self - but after a few years, the fe el m uch big g er a n d live i n dep e n d- for i ncr ea se d wea lth a n d pr osp er- Johanne followed us in our old tection are also automated. The has taken care of all our heating e ner g y stor e d i n its m ateria ls ently! But it is also nice to stand ity cannot and must not be blocked. h ou se for a fe w m o nth s b efor e we system is partly controlled by a needs. When the hot water for room will also have been paid back. with a brand new person in your I ch o ose to b elieve i n stea d th at m ove d i nto Ho m e for Life. We r e- timer (curtains down at night) and heating and hot household water a r m s a n d to m e et its fe w a n d si m- research and development will corded the energy and water use p a r tly d rive n by e ner g y o pti m isa- gets too cold, we hear the heat Rescue d by the su n ple ne e d s: fo o d, sle ep a n d love. fi n d solutio n s to to m or r ow’s cli- daily for a couple of months to en- tio n - the sola r pr ote ctio n g o es pu m p sta r t a n d heat it u p a g a i n. But as with most newly constructed Speaking of laundry, it is also m ate pr o ble m s. Pa r t of the solu- able a comparison with our new dow n if the su n w a r m s u p the fa m- And this will happen more and more, homes, Home for Life has a long now clear that the concept of dry- tio n m a y a lr ea d y h ave b e e n fou n d ‘green-tech lives’. Have to admit, ily room too quickly, while the because we clearly notice that the w a y to g o f r o m v isio n to r ea lity. i n g clothes i n the se m i-close d in Home for Life. A good first step sun has lost power. Electricity We have been told that the energy atrium does not really work. It - but you h ave to sta r t so m e w her e. pr o d uctio n f r o m sola r cells va r - consumption during the last cou- is climate-friendly enough but And I wonder if Obama is right. ies greatly from day to day and ple of m o nth s is h ig her th a n ex- w ith the weather her e, it is si m- If we in the industrialised coun- from week to week. We still have a pected. The house has been examined ply a w a r b efor e the clothes a r e tries make use of our business comfortable surplus in September, for leaks (and sealed in a number even barely dry. So the routine is acu m e n, ther e is a hu g e p ote n- thanks to a sunny late summer, but of places), heater i n let te m p er- that the clothes are pre-dried in tial for knowledge-based commu- consumption has also risen mark- ature has been adjusted and we the atriu m for a b out two d a ys b e- n ity g r ow th a n d ex p or t of k n ow-h ow. edly. Some of the increased power are currently in a trial period fore they come inside to hang. consumption comes from the heat where natural ventilation has been We can record the fact that the pump of course but we were a little sw itche d off (the w i n dows do n ot g o o d, old-fa sh io ne d m eth o d of h a n g- Happy New Year and continued surprised that the increase was so open automatically) and replaced ing clothes out to dry does not g o o d cli m ate debate i n 2010! noticeable. So the other day some by the a ir th r ou g h the ve ntila- work well enough - they must also 21 D e ce m b er 2009 plumbing people dropped in. Their tion system (with heat recovery). be right outside where the wind Sophie & Sverre Simonsen visits may mean lower power con- T h is m u st su r ely save so m e e n- can reach them. And that means + A xel, A n n a a n d ”little sister ” sumption, but we now also have full ergy, with the cold outside air not we’r e g oi n g to h ave a r ea lly, r e- Test fa m ily i n Ho m e for Life p ower o n the heat i n the b e d r o o m s. being warmed up by floor heating but a lly g o o d ti m e i n w i nter! B ut we L ate S epte m b er weather for e- pr e-heate d by the out-g oi n g a ir. soon surrendered and acquired cast from Lystrup: tropical nights But it can be felt in the indoor en- a dryer (A-rated of course). w ith u p to 27 deg r e es. P he w! v ir o n m e nt. CO2 levels a r e g e ner- B ut i n the m id st of a ll the m ov- Probably not reducing energy con- ally higher and temperatures in ing around of laundry, we now come su m ptio n. Well, the heati n g sys- the r o o m s va r y m uch m or e dep e n d- to consider some things: how privi- te m w ill so o n b e che cke d a g a i n.” ing on whether the sun shines. We leged we are! Three fit and healthy have had temperatures of up to 25ºC children, born in one of the most

72 D&A SPRING 2010 Issue 13 73 VELUX Panorama Architecture with VELUX from all over the world.

74 D&A SPRING 2010 Issue 13 75 Between Fjord and Fell Previous spread Unobtrusively Opposite page The striking Below View into the dining room Preikestolen Fjellstue and without fuss, the roof sil- shape of the building’s roof also on the ground floor. Here as well, houette of the mountain lodge impacts on the character of the the wooden supporting struc- Stavanger blends into the fjord land- interior. Roof windows bring ture determines the impression scape of south Norway. Behind daylight and fresh air into the made by the room. Dowelled tim- the building is Lake Refsvat- guest rooms, where the floors, ber boards span the 6-metre- net, beyond which the terrain walls and ceilings are all made of wide room, without there being leading down to the Lysefjord solid wood. any supporting columns. descends steeply by a height of 300 metres. Right Cross section

“To achieve the best possible interior climate, it has Facts been our intention to use as ‘pure’ materials as possible Building type: Lodge with 28 rooms and restaurant-café that do not emit noxious chemicals. This was possible Client: Stavanger Turistforening, Stavanger, N by means of a thorough examination of the Environ- Architects: Arkitektfirma Helen & Hard AS, Stavanger, N Location: Lysefjord near Stavanger, N mental Product Declaration of the building materials.” Completion: 2008 Dag Strass, Arkitektfirma Helen & Hard

The Preikestolen (literally Pulpit Rock) whose individual laminations are in- overlooking the Lysefjord near Sta- terconnected exclusively by wooden vanger certainly does justice to its dowels. The timber surfaces have name. At the top, the rock plateau is also been left largely untreated. The practically flat, forming a natural view- floors are covered in slate and solid ing platform whose front edge drops wood. The wet rooms have been fin- sharply to the fjord some 600 metres ished with untreated concrete floors. below. The architects had the fireplace on At around half height between the ground floor coated in lime plas- the fjord and Pulpit Rock, architects ter mixed with horse manure. Helen & Hard have constructed a To achieve the targeted high degree new 28-room hotel, restaurant-café of energy efficiency even in winter, and conference venue to replace the the Preikestolen Fjellstue has been nearby former mountain lodge. The fitted with a mechanical ventila- new mountain lodge reflects the tion system featuring rotating heat rain-drenched climate of the region. recovery and plate heat exchang- Almost the entire building envelope ers. The underfloor heating on the is formed by roof surfaces that ex- ground floor is fed by a heat pump tend downwards and over the sides using the water from the nearby lake of the building. The view afforded by as a heat source. the many windows in the facade and But fans, heat exchangers and the roof takes in the mountain pano- piping systems are not the only rama on one side and the nearby lake, source of ventilation in the lodge. The the Refsvatnet, on the other. client was particularly concerned Guiding principles for the de- that the roof windows in the building sign included the greatest possible envelope should be capable of open- energy efficiency and a healthy in- ing, so providing a natural source of door climate, with preference given fresh air to guests. Individual electric to the use of pure, biologically harm- radiators in the rooms have been dis- less construction materials. The ar- pensed with to prevent guests open- chitects took this principle much ing windows and turning up the further than is customary by car- heating. The stove-side bench on rying out precise checks of the en- the ground floor is a popular rendez- vironmental product declarations vous for guests after a long and tir- provided for the construction ma- ing day hiking on the Fell. This works terials used. along the lines of a hypocaust heat- The Preikestolen Fjellstue is a ing system that draws hot air from textbook example of unadulterated the wood-burning stove through the timber construction using pure ma- communal room and guides it back terials. Its supporting structure com- into the stove. prises laminated beam elements

76 D&A SPRING 2010 Issue 13 77 Lighthouse project for Opposite page Draft sketch of the and then exits again through the energy and interior climate ‘Green Lighthouse’. The arrows roof windows. An exterior sun- indicate the building envelope’s shade system prevents the rooms Green Lighthouse in functions, which are also impor- from overheating. Copenhagen tant for the indoor climate: air flows into the building through Below Cross-section with energy the windows in the facade, concept of the building becomes warmer in the atrium

The Green Lighthouse, a new facil- tion, hybrid ventilation, the use of Atrium ventilation PV solar cells Heat gain Solar thermal collectors “Green Lighthouse, Denmark’s first CO2-neutral public A high distance between the produce electricity for hy- Let in heat through South Solar thermal collectors for building, demonstrates that sustainable design starts ity for the Faculty of Science at the daylight, and LED base lighting with University of Copenhagen, is one of daylight control. ventilating openings speeds brid ventilation, pumps facing windows. domestic hot water, room up airing – quicker airing and LED lighting. heating and seasonal storage. with good old-fashioned common sense. Many ‘green’ a number of pilot and demonstration Natural ventilation is achieved minimises heat loss. During summer solar cooling design features were incorporated into the building projects built in the Danish capital through facade windows in combi- through heat pump. to reduce energy use and provide a healthy indoor in advance of the UN Climate Sum- nation with the roof windows in the environment for students and faculty. The building mit. It was constructed in strategic sloping roof surface. The building partnership between the University, is organised around an inner, light itself was oriented to maximise its solar resources, the Danish University and Property atrium forming the social heart of while windows and doors are recessed and covered Agency, the City of Copenhagen and the house and uniting staff and visi- with automatic solar shades to minimise direct solar the companies VELFAC and VELUX, tors under a soothing roof light. This heat gain inside the building.” and provides a ‘one-stop shop’ serv- room is also necessar y to ensure that ice centre for the students, and fa- the natural ventilation of the house Michael Christensen, Christensen & Co. Arkitekter cilities for the Dean and professors works: fresh air is taken in at the fa- Hybrid ventilation of the science faculty. The objective cade, sucked through this room and with heat recovery for was for the office building to be car- exhausted through the roof windows days where the weather bon-neutral, meeting the future de- at the top. conditions do not allow mands of energy consumption in This also provides night cooling LED lighting natural ventilation. 2020 without compromising maxi- for the office rooms during summer. powered by the mum indoor comfort and well-being All windows and shading devices are solar panels. of the users. automatically opened and closed as Night cooling From an architectural point of a basic prerequisite to achieving the During the night, the Intake of fresh air view the house was inspired by the strict energy specification at the warmed-up building via electrically sundial and the movement of the sun same time as creating a pleasant parts emit heat. operated windows. around the house. The design under- working environment. Daylight is one lines the fact that the sun is an im- of the most essential requirements portant topic in science and one of for a high degree of user comfort in the most significant energy sources the building. The required daylight in Green Lighthouse. factor was 3% in permanent work During the planning phase, a se- spaces – but levels are generally ries of interdisciplinary workshops higher than this in the upper floors. External sunscreening were held with the aim of combin- The daylight balance is achieved Automatic sunscreening ing energy efficiency, use of renewa- through the 18 roof windows flood- following the course of the sun. ble energy sources and creation of an ing the central atrium with daylight. optimum indoor climate. But Green For Michael Christensen, owner of Heat Solar Lighthouse was also designed to be architectural office Christensen & High insulating pump heat Shadow carbon neutral. Achievement of this Co., the daylight concept was the de- building envelope water goal hinged on various design strat- termining factor in the arrangement tank egies – the compact building geom- of the window openings. “In terms etry, site orientation, a dynamic and of insulation, wall and roof are equal. efficient building envelope compris- But a window in the roof can provide ing thermal insulation and sun shad- substantially more light than a win- ing, the maximisation of passive dow in a wall.” Floor heating District heating solar gain, the passive accumula- Seasonal storage tion of heat and cooling in construc- of heat in the underground.

78 D&A SPRING 2010 Issue 13 79

Facts Building type: office building Strategic Partners: Copenhagen University, Ministry of Science, City of Copenhagen, VELUX & VELFAC Client: The Danish University and Property Agency, Copenhagen, DK Architects: Christensen & CO., Copenhagen, DK Energy concept: COWI, Copenhagen, DK Location: 16 Tagensvej, Copenhagen, DK Completion: 2009

Top left The atrium is the com- Bottom left ‘Green Lighthouse’ Below The upper floor features municative heart of the ‘Green at twilight. The circular ground large window areas, opening Lighthouse’. Moreover, it makes plan with windows on all sides up the view to the surrounding a major contribution to air circu- makes it possible to follow the green areas and the sky. lation in the building. The chim- path of the sun around the build- The daylight factor in this area ney effect created here makes ing from the inside as well. The is around 9 per cent. the warm air rise so that it can compact volume of the struc- finally escape through the roof ture also helps to avoid heat windows. losses.

80 D&A SPRING 2010 Issue 13 81 82 D&A SPRING 2010 Issue 13 83 What you see is what you get Opposite page The office build- Top left All the work rooms Right A central access area runs Office building in Amsterdam ing was designed according to are along the south and west through the entire building. On the principles of the ‘cradle-to- facades and feature building- the left of it are the offices, with cradle’ philosophy. Bare wooden high windows to let in the light. backrooms and meeting areas to elements facilitate re-use if the On the upper floor, roof windows the right. building is torn down at some with coloured soffits also allow time. Additionally, the absence daylight into the zones further of any wall coverings is also inside. intended to improve the quality of the indoor air. Bottom left Cross section

“By applying the art of ’less is more’ a healthy, inspir- Facts ing work environment can be created that leaves Building type: office building space to breathe. That provides the calm which is the Client, energy and Search Engineering Consultancy, sustainability concept: Amsterdam, NL prerequisite of performance, and that stimulates Architects: Witteveen Architecten, human creativity. Knowing that, user and building Amsterdam, NL together form a small sustainable world in itself that Location: Petroleumhavenweg 8, Amsterdam, NL could otherwise not have been realised. Here, how- Completion: 2008 ever, it has become everyday reality.” Search Ingenieursbureau

The new building that architect and deflecting the of ten dull weather George Witteveen constructed for conditions outside. engineering consultants Search Solar panels, the use of geother- stands in Petroleumhaven in Am- mal energy and two vertical wind sterdam, an uninviting district to turbines installed on the site make the west of the city centre not far the building self-sufficient in terms from the banks of the river Ij. Wit- of energy. Its design is consistently teveen placed a deliberately austere in keeping with the ‘cradle to cradle’ building volume against the heter- philosophy. To ensure that as many ogeneous surroundings. The look of of the components as possible can the building has been influenced not be reused after future demolition only by the endeavour to achieve of the building, and to avoid any off- the optimum possible use of day- gassing of harmful substances, the light, but also by the ‘cradle to cra- architects reduced the number of dle’ concept, which strives to make layers per component to the abso- buildings 100% recyclable and – by lute minimum. The result is a build- avoiding the use of harmful sub- ing that follows the principle of ‘what stances – healthy to live in. The fa- you see is what you get’. The walls cade, completely glazed to the west and intermediate ceiling are made and semi-glazed to the south, is pro- of prefabricated cross-laminated tected in both directions by an over- softwood elements up to 2.80 × 12 hanging roof. All the workplaces in metres in size. The outside walls are the two-storey building are also ori- insulated using a recycled paper- ented south and west. Behind the based insulating material. Concrete largely closed north facade are the wa s only needed for the foundations , conference rooms, the library, the ar- the floor slab on the ground floor and chive, workshops and ancillary rooms, the floor structure for the upper sto- all of which are only used for part of rey. Floor coverings and suspended the time. Storey-height glazed slid- ceilings are nowhere to be found in ing walls on both floors allow day- the new building, nor are rendered light to fall deep into the building. On or screeded surfaces. The support- the top floor, roof windows provide ing timber construction has been natural illumination for areas of the treated using only natural colour building that are more distant from coatings. the south facade. The multicoloured reveals of the windows provide relief from the otherwise monochrome black, white and grey decor of the office rooms, lending a cheerful note

84 D&A SPRING 2010 Issue 13 85 and, on this basis, then dedicates sions are an exception: The Indoor En- amines the ideological roots behind lications on this topic will always be are still concerned with the question a scientific overview of the topic. On the one hand, this is certainly due herself to the book’s central ques- vironment Handbook is a first-class notions of hygiene and the concept mea sured: that of having ex tensively of how sensors, actuators and com- It resembles an art exhibition, pre- to the fact that latterly health-re- Books tions: How do the individual factors standard work that presents current of abstaining from all forms of or- examined and absorbingly described puter-ba sed dat a networks can con - senting numerous viewpoints side lated a spect s of building and daylight of light, air and noise complement knowledge on the topic in a clear, nament, looks into the role of water a concept – hygiene and health – tribute in different – more sensual by side, arranged in loose associa- planning have been obliged to take a REVIEWS each other to form a whole, how is comprehensible and usefully struc- and of sanitary engineering in mod- that continues to be important to us and poetic – ways to architecture tion and linked to one another by the back seat to energy-related consid- For further reading: this perceived by human beings and tured form. Nevertheless, it should ern architecture and demonstrates today and the influence of this notion and urban spaces. comments of the authors. It charts erations . Moreover, the scepticism of recent books how can it be optimised in existing be noted that the book is intended how the architects of modernism lit- on a particular, still formative archi- The authors present a tot al of 22 the fever curve of an architecture many legislative bodies and planners buildings? Setting and adhering to as a standard work and textbook for erally ”built their houses in the sun”. tectural period. proje c t s an d con c ept s , flanke d by nu - scene which is still ‘hot’ and surpris- regarding ‘undesirable’ side-effects presented by D&A. limits for temperature, fresh air sup- all those who are fundamentally in- Overy proves himself to be an ex- merous comments, background in- ingly dynamic. of daylight such as overheating and ply, air pollutants and daylight is not terested in the indoor environment traordinarily well-read author who formation and short interviews with glare also play a role. Boubekri does enough, in her opinion, as their in- as such. It does not contain concrete enjoys spinning a good yarn, even if Sensing Space various project designers. The book mention these objections in his book teractions are too complex and the planning suggestions regarding ven- he is less interested in giving detailed is divided into three chapters that re - but he does not rebut them. sensitivity of human beings to differ- tilation systems, window sizes or descriptions of actual buildings. The Authors: Nadin Heinich, spectively examine the role of inter- Daylighting, From a scientific point of view, ent environmental factors varies too thermal conditioning for buildings. social discour se of the inter war year s Franziska Eidner active technology in living spaces , on Architecture Daylight, Architecture and Health is much from individual to individual. appears to be more important to him Jovis Verlag the exteriors of buildings, and in the and Health a commendable book, as it summa- THE INDOOR Bluyssen therefore t akes a close look than the architectural solutions . Con - ISBN 978-3-939633-95-2 city. Criticism is repeatedly voiced rises numerous findings in a single, ENVIRONMENT at a second approach to research and Light, Air and sequently the book cont ains not a sin - against previous implementations Author: Mohammed Boubekri coherently structured volume for the regulation that starts with human Openness gle architectural drawing but instead Franziska Eidner and Nadin Heinich of ‘intelligent’ or ‘media-based’ ar- Elsevier/Architectural Press first time. It should provide an impor- HANDBOOK beings and their reactions to the in- many telling historical photographs begin their book by asking a multi- chitecture: so-called ‘smart homes’ ISBN 978-0-7506-6724-1 tant basis for further research, for Author: Philomena M. Bluyssen door environment. Here, it becomes Author: Paul Overy showing the buildings and of ten their tude of questions: “In what way does a s propagated by industr y, which are discussions between specialists and Earthscan apparent how difficult it is to pin- Thames & Hudson occupants. the conscious integration of new primarily designed to stimulate the There are many reasons to make (hopefully) for future legislation. But ISBN 978-1-84407-787-8 point the concrete causes of human ISBN 978-0-500-34242-8 The author clearly experienced technologies create spaces which sale of ’comfort’ technologies, and good use of daylight in architecture. the book only partly lives up to its well-being and discomfort (who can some difficulty in ordering his mate- move us and, if done well, allow us to the ubiquitous, self-contained media In his book Daylight, Architecture subtitle Building Design Strategies, “How to make buildings healthy and exactly say whether fatigue at work Most books on modernist architec- rial. The paths he follows while ex- feel a bit more ‘at home’? […] What projections flashing on the walls of and Health, Mohammed Boubekri if at all. When it comes to translat- comfortable” is the subtitle of this is due to a lack of fresh air or the act ture share something in common: pounding his topic are convoluted; the is ‘home’ in the 21st century? What buildings as they spread their ad- lists some of them: daylight has a ing concepts of daylight into con- book, in which Philomena Bluyssen, of working without motivation?) and almost all of them touch on the twin sequence of chapters Health, Home, is meant by such terms as ‘interac- vertising messages through our cit- positive effect on people’s sense of crete ideas for buildings, Boubekri’s a Dutch expert on indoor climate how irrational it would be to want to topics of hygiene and health but usu- Sun, Water, Factory offers only a tive rooms’ and ‘intelligent architec- ies. Although some of the projects well-being; it increases productivity treatment remain cursory. While he issues, provides a comprehensive establish mono-causal connections ally content themselves with giving rough indication of where the author ture’?” presented here remain sketchy, and contributes to healing in numer- does devote a separate chapter to overview of all those factors that between psychological or physical these topics a brief mention before is in his story. This has the advantage To cut a long story short: the an- they demonstrate that different ap- ous diseases. Boubekri manages to the presentation of different types are responsible for the climate in- symptoms and individual factors of turning to other more aesthetically- that the reader can pick up Light, Air swers provided by the book are het- proaches are imaginable: for exam- summarise the most important sci- of windows and sk ylight s , light chan - side buildings. However, her book the indoor environment. related questions. It was left to Paul and Openness and start reading an- erogeneous and many-voiced. Most ple, technology that would show entific findings based on research nelling and shadowing systems, the goes far beyond an examination of In the last part of the book, Phi- Overy, now sadly deceased, to ex- ywhere and the disadvantage that of them are outside the mainstream emotions – whether that of the in- into the interrelationships between book’s substance does not go much thermal comfort, air quality, light- lomena Bluyssen looks at the prac- amine the ways modernism was in- searching for a particular fact is not discourse, i.e. outside the tendency habitant, of his partner living hun- daylight, the psyche and health in his beyond what is already known to ing and noise; it illustrates the way tical implications of the issue for fluenced, directly and indirectly, by easy. The attentive reader will also to view technology integrated in dreds of kilometres away, or, in the book and present them compactly readers from other design textbooks. the various factors interact with building design and management. the quest for light, air and openness notice some gaps: Overy eloquently buildings as an invisible means serv- case of household robots, even its and in such a way that they can be Architect s are still awaiting concrete each other and how they affect the She analyses internal and external in his book of the same name, pub- presents modernism as a quest for ing a higher purpose, such as im- own; or a technology that would generally understood. In addition he design guidelines offering detailed human body, while pointing out way influences on the quality of the in- lished in 2007. Overy describes in healthier living conditions but he proved energy efficiency or greater make the invisible visible – whether provides a brief historical synopsis and quantitative analyses of exist- in which the quality of the indoor en- door environment, describes the dif- detail how the concept of hygiene does this without providing any de- comfort. The book has come out at this is wind and weather phenom- of architecture’s use of daylight to- ing and planned solutions. vironment can be anchored as a goal ferent roles of the parties involved developed in the sanatoriums of the tailed description of the unhygienic an interesting time, when many ar- ena, the energy consumption of gether with an overview of various in planning processes. The book has in planning and construction, and 19 th centur y, how it wa s seized upon conditions in the cities that modern- chitects, after their initial eupho- whole city district s , or pictures from legislative and standardisation poli- a wide scope. Bluyssen begins with documents the status of interna- by the “life reform” movement at the ism was attempting to combat. Thus ria, appear to be turning away from CCTV cameras usually only accessi- cies in various countries with regard the way human perception works tional standardisation. Occasion- beginning of the 20th century and he portrays modern architect prima- experiments on the use of compu- ble to a select group of persons. to daylight. and explains the most important ally, the author digresses from the the evolution of the concept up until rily a s an idealistic endeavour and less ter technology in architecture. This Sensing Space is a fast-paced The information he provides parameters and formulas for calcu- main topic, such as when she covers the Second World War. In his 200- as a battle against existing and cata- field, it would seem, is now increas- and stimulating read, which clearly makes it clear how much we already lating the indoor climate. She goes several pages with statistics on de- page book, Overy focuses on build- strophic living conditions. ingly occupied by industrial compa- shows that it “wa s created out of cu- know about the positive effect of on to portray the historical develop- mographic change without indicat- ings for healthcare and spor ts, living Despite these quibbles , Light , Air nies offering st andardised solutions . riosity” (as the authors commented daylight and how few mandatory ment of research and legislation in ing their implications for the indoor and working, continually eliciting and Openness has an incontroverti- In contrast, Sensing Space shows in the book ’s introduction). The book regulations exist that would compel matters relating to indoor climate environment. However, these digres- new aspects of their design. He ex- ble quality against which future pub- that numerous architects and artists does not provide a complete or even us actually to make use of daylight.

86 D&A spring 2010 issue 13 87 daylight & architecture magazine by velux SPRING 2010 Issue 13

Publisher Website Michael K. Rasmussen www.velux.com/da

VELUX Editorial team E-mail Per Arnold Andersen [email protected] Christine Bjørnager Lone Feifer ISSN 1901-0982 Lotte Kragelund Torben Thyregod The views expressed in articles appearing in Daylight & Architecture Editor, Institut für Internationale are those of the authors and not Architektur-Dokumentation necessarily shared by the publisher. Jakob Schoof © 2010 VELUX Group. Translation ® VELUX and VELUX logo are Sprachendienst Dr. Herrlinger registered trademarks used under Michael Robinson licence by the VELUX Group. Sean McLaughlin

Re-write Tony Wedgwood

Photo editor Torben Eskerod

Art direction & design Stockholm Design Lab ® Per Carlsson Nina Granath Björn Kusoffsky www.stockholmdesignlab.se

Cover Dan Perjovschi www.perjovschi.ro

Inside cover Rachel Whiteread House project Photography by John Davies www.johndavies.uk.com

Rachel Whiteread: House In the late nineteenth century, terraced house in London’s East Grove Road was a typical row of End was hailed as one of the 25 October 1993 – 11 January 1994 terraced houses of the kind built greatest public sculptures by an Grove Road, London E3 throughout the East End of London. English artist in the twentieth Some of the road was destroyed in century. Completed in autumn of 1993 s the Second World War and by the 1993 and demolished in January e avi 1950s the area was covered with 1994, House attracted tens of D temporary housing. As new tower thousands of visitors and ohn y © J

blocks were built the prefabs were generated impassioned debate, in b

removed. By the early 1990s the the local streets, the national press hoto ”. P E

terrace was no more – the final and in the House of Commons. S houses were demolished early U AD “HO

1993. From the interior of the last E R remaining house, Rachel Whiteread E L WHIT

made an extraordinary sculpture. E Whiteread’s cast of a Victorian RACH

88 ELUX DAYLIGHT & DAYLIGHT ARCHITECTURE by Magazine V

Spring 2010 iSSue 13 Indoor CLimate 10 Euro

Spring 2010 iSSue 13 Indoor CLimate 10 Euro Daylight & Architecture Magazine by velux