Beyond housing: Active House principles applied to a museum
The Wetland Museum of Guanting is a museum in Zhang JiaKou, China designed by Ren Jun and Jiang Nan for the Forestry Bureau of Huailai. The project won an Active House Award at the 2018 Active House Symposium. Below Ren Jun answers a few questions on behalf of the Wetland Museum of Guanting project.
Your project won an award at the Active House Awards this year, congratulations. Why did you submit your project for the Active House Awards?
首先祝贺您的项目在今年的Active House大奖中获奖。您为什么要提交这个项目去参加Active House大奖？
两三年前我就借助威卢克斯廊坊办公楼对主动式建筑有了直观的体验，对主动式建筑倡导的舒适、能源、环境三位一体的可持续发展理念非常认同。今年11月我又刚刚通过了国际主动式建筑认证师，对主动式建筑有了更深的理解。我提交的这个位于自然湿地中的项目设计之初就有意识地寻求环境、能源、健康的高性能目标，所以看到主动式建筑竞赛，就毫不犹豫地提交了。
Two or three years ago, I had an intuitive experience of Active House by assisting the office building of VELUX LangFang. I agreed with the concept of sustainable development of comfort, energy and environment advocated by Active House. Just last month, I passed the Active House Certification and I now have a deeper understanding of it. The project I submitted which is in a natural wetland has been pursuing high-performance goals for the environment, energy and health from the beginning of its design, so I had no hesitation to participate in the Active House competition.
What does winning the Active House Award mean for your project/organisation? What would you say are some of the key features that make Active Houses better buildings?
这次获得Active House大奖对您的项目/团队意味着什么？你认为使主动式建筑成为更好的建筑的一些关键特征是什么？
获得主动式建筑奖是对项目可持续性的褒奖，虽然项目还在施工中，但客户和建筑师对项目的未来建成效果有了更高的期待。主动式建筑最核心的优点是从关注人在建筑中的使用出发，综合地寻求环境、能源和舒适的平衡点。因此主动式建筑在可持续方面涵盖的领域更广泛，评价的指标更全面。
Acquiring the Active House Award is a tribute to the sustainability of the project. Although the project is still under construction, customers and architects have high expectations for the future completion of the project. The core advantage of the Active House is that it seeks to balance environment, energy and comfort by focusing on the people in the building. Therefore, Active House covers a wider range of sustainable fields and is more comprehensive in its evaluation.
At this year’s symposium there was a lot of talk about digitalisation and technology changing our buildings. How does your project use these?
在今年的研讨会上，有很多关于“数字化和技术正在改变我们的建筑”的讨论。那么您的项目是如何使用这些新技术的？
数字技术可以使我们更精确地分析绿色技术的适宜性。官厅湿地博物馆中数字技术的应用是从环境和人的角度提升绿色技术的指向性，比如环形建筑的折面金属表皮可以过滤入射进室内的光线，室外庭院漂浮的环形楼梯会减少对湿地环境的影响。
Digital technology allows us to more accurately analyse the suitability of green technologies. The application of digital technology in the Guanting Wetland Museum serves to improve the directionality of green technology from the perspective of the environment and the people. For example, the folded metal skin can filter the light incident into the building. The circular staircase floating in the outdoor courtyard will reduce the impact on the wetland environment.
How do you think we can convince more people of the importance of healthy buildings? How does your project address this important aspect?
您认为我们如何让更多的人相信健康建筑的重要性？在这个重要的方面您的项目是如何处理的？
人使用建筑大部分时间是在建筑的室内环境种度过的，因此室内空间的健康性非常重要。室内空间的健康舒适体现在自然采光、自然通风、良好的热舒适性，以及清新的空气质量。建筑为公共空间和展厅提供了优质的自然采光——公共休息区和湿地景观区采用幕墙及天窗，保证良好自然采光的同时获得景观视野。
People spend most of their time in the indoor environment of buildings, so the indoor health performance is very important. The health and comfort of the interior is reflected in natural light, natural ventilation, good thermal comfort and fresh air quality. In this building, high-quality natural daylighting is provided for public spaces and exhibition halls — curtain wall and skylight are used for public area and the wetland landscape area to ensures a good landscape view as well as natural daylighting.
Active House is all about comfort, energy and environment. How does your project incorporate these aspects?
主动式建筑是关于舒适、能源和环境的。这些方面在您的项目中是如何体现的？
博物馆位于国家湿地公园，定位为低排放、微影响和全循环。借助环形庭院及底层架空有效促进自然通风，结合新风系统，引入湿地公园新鲜空气。节能方面针对寒冷地区选用体形系数较小的环形，并采用高保温的围护体系及幕墙系统，最大限度加少能源使用。利用湿地公园唯一的能源供应——电能选择了适宜的VRV系统供暖及供冷。太阳能利用方面设置了薄膜太阳能光伏走廊及屋顶太阳能热水系统。建筑整体架空减少对湿地生态系统的影响，超低能耗建筑设计及运行策略减少全生命周期碳排放、低照度的夜景灯光及图案化玻璃幕墙可防止鸟类撞击。雨水花园、人工湿地等低影响开发LID设计及高效的污水处理系统，实现低排放。
The museum is located in National Wetland Park, and the objective is low emission, micro impact and full circulation. Natural ventilation is enhanced by means of the annular yard and elevated bottom, and fresh air is introduced from the wetland park by means of a fresh air system as well as natural ventilation, so that the indoor CO2 concentration is lower than 1000ppm. In terms of energy saving, considering the features of the cold area where the museum is located, a ring form which has a low shape coefficient was chosen, and high-insulation enclosure system and curtain wall system are used to minimize energy use. As electricity is the only energy source in the wetland park, suitable VRV system is used for heat and cold supply. In terms of solar energy utilization, coloured film PV corridor and roof solar water heating system are set. An elevated overall structure is designed for the building to reduce the impact on the wetland ecosystem. The ultra-low energy consumption design and operation strategy of the building reduce carbon emission throughout its life cycle. The low illumination nightscape lamps and the patterned glass curtain wall can prevent bird strikes. The Low Impact Development (LID) designs such as the rainwater garden and constructed wetlands as well the high-efficiency sewage treatment system helps to reduce water discharge.
One of this year’s speakers at the symposium suggested that as prices go up, so do the expectations of homebuyers. Do you think the Active House label can help purchasers identify good projects?
今年研讨会上的一位发言者建议，随着房价上涨，购房者的预期也会相应的上升。您认为主动式建筑的标签能不能帮助买家筛选出合适的项目？
我个人觉得随着购房者对健康、环境、能源方面认识的提升，主动式建筑的标签会成为买家选购居所的重要参考。
In my opinion, with the improvement of homebuyers’ understanding of health, environment and energy, the Active House Label will become an important reference for buyers to choose their homes.
If you were to give one piece of advice to next year’s contestants, what would it be?
如果您要给明年的参赛者一条建议，您会说些什么？
主动式建筑首先是一种综合的技术解决方案，如果能以艺术的方式把技术表现出来就最完美了。
Firstly, Active House is a comprehensive technical solution, and it will be perfect if the technology is showed in an artistic way.
Read more about the Wetland Museum of Guanting here
