BLOG: Green Solution House – hotel and meetings the bright way
Green Solutions House is a sustainable knowledge and conference center in Denmark that want to inspire guests to act more sustainably in their everyday life, by offering a comfortable stay in a healthy and creative environment. The conceptual design is developed by Kasper Guldager Jensen, Architect and Senior Partner 3XN.
By Kurt Emil Eriksen, Secretary General, Active House Alliance,
Photos by Adam Mørk
Green Solutions House is the winner of the Active House Label contest 2016 and was awarded because it includes a unique combination of the three Active House principles in the design processes, in the modernization of the existing building and in its educational characteristics.
Comments from the Jury
The winner was chosen by an international jury where among others Rory Bergin, Arch MSc, Partner, Sustainable Futures, HTA Architects, point out: “Green Solution House is a very complex project and it is encouraging to see such a sophisticated approach worked through in all details and it deserves recognition”
Another jury member Duzan Doepel, Partner, architect, DoepelStrijkers, supplement with the comment: “In terms of design it is clear that the project has been carefully developed with focus on both the existing building and the new conference building”
Mónika Tornóczky, MSc. Architect, product manager of Alukönigstahl also a jury member supplement: “The design of the building is becoming an education for the conference guests” and this was exactly one of the aims the owner had with the project.
Comments from the Owner
The owner and director of Green Solution House, Trine Richter has already in the early design process been focused on the qualities with the Active House principles:
“The transformation of the old hotel, from a dark building with low ceiling heights and limited daylight conditions, into a modern and sustainable conference center has been based on the Active House principles and without those as a guides, we might never created such comfortable and daylighted rooms as we did.”
“Our guests are very happy with the sustainable solutions developed outside and inside the building. When they check in they find our main entrance area very bright, daylighted and comfortable. They also find our new hotel rooms very comfortable and with good indoor air quality, which among others is due to the materials chosen. Finally, they tell us that our conference facilities are very pleasant to use and they don’t get tired after using it for a full day. We believe it is due to the design of the room which create good daylight conditions and good indoor comfort, all in all a good atmosphere for learning.”
“The sustainable approach is our business. The sustainable and comfortable building design has become a competitive parameter for us. We use it to differentiate ourselves from others hotel and conference centers”
Comments from the Architect
Kasper Guldager Jensen, Architect and Senior Partner 3XN, has developed the conceptual design of Green Solution house and he explain:
“The project has been developed with a detailed focus on sustainability, including evaluation of materials and where possible use of upcycling, as well as the use of Active House principles has been parameters for the design, reaching a high level on comfort, energy efficiency and with low impact on the environment.”
“What makes a big difference in this house is the daylight conditions in the hallway, rooms and conference facilities. We removed elements that made the building dark and where possible we opened up the building. We replaced balustrades of concrete with glazed balustrades, installed roof light in rooms and corridors. The garden is an overall part of the sustainable design of the hotel, with its biodiversity include seasonal ponds for rainwater.”
“Another big difference at this project is the sustainable focus through all phases. Upscale of materials has been used with, among others, window glass for use in insulation, concrete and glass for bitumen free landscape and for foundations, etc. Our research and dialog with the manufacturers made a movement towards sustainable solution. The new material chosen is based on Cradle to Cradle and constructions has been made to be disassembled by the end of their lifetime. The carpets chosen have air cleaning and capture dust, and are prepared for reuse.”
About Green Solution House
Architect: 3XN architects (conceptual design), Steenbergs Tegnestue (architectural detailing), SLA (landscape design), GXN innovation (sustainability).
Engineer: Ramboll (engineering), COWI (client advisor),
Developer: Trine Richter, Hotel Ryttegården
Completion: 2014
Vision
Green Solution House is a sustainable knowledge-and conference center that can inspire guest to act more sustainable in their everyday life. The objective is to show buildings of the future, already today. Therefore, Green Solution House works as a demonstration of the latest developments in sustainable building.
It is a place where people can meet, learn and relax in a sustainable environments. It is designed with focus on comfort and well being for the guests and employees. It is one of the world´s most pioneering green hotels and conference centres, and has recently received The European Business Award for environment 2016, the Active House Alliance Award 2016 as well as other sustainable prizes.
Design
The building is designed on the basis of different sustainable parameters to show a holistic approach to sustainability. Thus, the building design is based on the Active House vision, it is certified as DGNB and the material use has been inspired by mindsets from Cradle to Cradle.
The park around the building will be an attraction in itself and it will be available to hotel guests and external visitors. Green Solution House will constantly present the latest solutions in the field of green technology, building design and thinking. This means that all natural resources are preserved, that building materials are chosen with care for the environment as well as operation and maintenance, the sun contributes to the energy supply, waste is utilized to its maximum and rainwater is collected and domestic water is recycled.
The building and landscape present the latest developments in the field of sustainable architecture; we show that sustainability involves more than aspiring to green certification, and that it is possible to quantify our project’s high quality on the basis of several parameters.
The modernization of the existing building has transferred the building into a modern and sustainable building design. The integration of renewable energy solutions has been optimized and where possible integrated into the building design, with PV in roof windows and balustrades.
Visit the hotel
The daily management of the hotel include “living the value” approach on sustainability with green gourmet, healthy hotel rooms, comfortable conference facilities, reuse of materials and minimizing the waste, etc. You are welcome to visit the hotel and restaurant.
Contact the hotel at info@greensolutionhouse.dk.
The Active House performance
Active House, is a vision of buildings that create healthier and more comfortable lives for their occupants without negative impact on the climate. The vision includes a holistic view on buildings where buildings are evaluated within Comfort, Energy and Environment. Green Solution House has been evaluated within the 3 parameters and the performance is shown in the Active House Radar below:
Comfort:
The daylight in hotel rooms, entrance hall, corridors and conference rooms has reached daylight factors above 5%. A thermal balance strategy has brought the building to the highest level by use of a ventilation strategy based on the use of the building and season. The air quality reach the highest level with natural ventilation based on user needs and use of materials supporting good air quality.
Energy:
The modernization of the existing building has improved it to the second best level for energy demand. This has been reached through use of energy efficient technologies and minimizing the need for artificial lighting, mechanical cooling etc, topics that are normally high in hotels and conferences areas. The renewable energy cover app 50% of the energy needed in the building.
Environment:
By use of a resource strategy that include upcycle of materials, use of recyclable material, solutions that can be disassembled and a general approach to use materials with limited environmental impact, the project has reached a very high performance on sustainability and LCA. Water from sink and toilets in the main building is filtered and enabled for reuse. Rain water is collected and heavy rain is lead to the gardens seasonable ponds.
For more information about Active House and the Active House label visit: https://www.activehouse.info/
