Solarlux’s new facility for the Netherlands including insight into all of the “green” info.

1. 101intelligent glass solutions100 intelligent glass solutions
Just
looking
looking in,
looking out,
looking through,
looking at - looking good
Michael Kuhlmann on behalf of
SOLARLUX Aluminium Systeme GmbH
The SOLARLUX Co2mfort-Office
For the construction of the new office building of its Dutch subsidiary Solarlux developed a completely new
and intelligent façade concept. The architectural design focused on energy efficiency, a possible self-sufficient
energy supply and the most extensive waiver of technical air conditioning and artificial lighting.

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The construction and thermal management
of residential and non-residential buildings
still consumes the most energy, far exceeding
manufacturing, air traffic or automobiles. Above
all, contemporary architecture is called upon
to provide answers by producing intelligent
designs which confront the challenges of the
future - saving energy, reducing CO2
emissions
and preserving resources. With the construction
of new administrative offices for its Dutch
subsidiary, Solarlux meets these requirements
head-on thanks to an innovative downsizing
concept, thereby pioneering the office of the
future, and not only from an energy efficiency
point of view.
Omitting features to save CO2
and improving
comfort through minimalisation; what at first
glance appears to be a contradiction in terms is
the message of the Nijverdal project. It is based
on an ingenious concept of sustainable energy
saving and ambitious architectural design.
One stipulation of the brief was to present new
energy-saving perspectives while providing
a link between the new building, corporate
identity and the company headquarters in
Bissendorf, as well as reflecting the firm’s
responsibility towards the environment and
its ongoing progressive orientation. No easy
task for architect Wolfgang Herich. His main
design aims were energy efficiency, maximum
energy supply independence and as little use
of technical climate control and artificial lighting
equipment as possible.
The result is a development that expresses in
an ideal way corporate identity and philosophy
in stunning architecture: transparent, open,
encouraging communication within the
company and with the world outside, and a
climate management system designed for
sustainability. The Nijverdal project is corporate
culture made real.
Insights, outlooks and perspectives are a
common theme of the clearly structured
building. Like an urban plaza, the foyer is
positioned at the heart. It provides a visual
and functional link with all the different areas,
serving to enhance communication and
promote personal interaction. This is where
functions such as the reception, exhibition
space, waiting areas and the (staff) restaurant
meet. From the foyer, the eye is drawn upwards
to the two office floors. Open stairs lead up
to the gallery level where the training and
meeting rooms and offices are located.
Back to the roots
The Co2
mfort façade is the core element of
the building - both in terms of function and
design. With it, Solarlux meets the challenges
of a future-proof office with an innovative
concept, putting the focus firmly on the users,
their desires and the possibility for individual
adjustments.
It is a fundamental idea that refers to the
technology of a former era - the double
window. In the Solarlux project, the idea has
been extrapolated to create a double-skin
façade, plus the principle of sustainability by
continuing to use the company’s own products
to produce a future-proof result.
The Co2
mfort façade
An initial heat insulated façade made up of
Type SL 65 folding wood and glass doors, with a
panel height of 3 metres, envelopes the space.
In turn this façade is encompassed by a Type SL
25 XXL frameless floor-length slide-and-turn-
system which forms an uninsulated glazed shell.
The double façade thus creates an accessible
façade corridor which envelopes the building
on three sides. The primary function of the
outer glass façade is to provide protection
from the elements, while the inner façade is
designed as a thermal barrier between indoors
and outdoors.
Both façades can be opened independently
to varying degrees and may even be folded
back fully, thus allowing staff to determine their
preferred ambient room temperature manually,
weather permitting.
Interactive building
The building, with its passive thermal concept,
relies on its window openings and has no need
Above the bright and spacious entrance and exhibition hall is the “free” floating cube
that houses the conference and training centre.
The Co2
mfort façade consists of an initial heat-insulated
façade and an uninsulated glazed shell.
Both of which can be indepentently opened.
The flexible double façade envelopes
the building on three sides.

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of a mechanical ventilation system (motors,
ventilation shafts, valve actuators, control
technology). Ventilation and air-conditioning
can be individually determined by staff,
according to personal preference. Options
range from a completely closed façade through
endless partial opening variations to working
“in the open air”.
At a two-person work station, for instance, in
contrast to simple window arrangements, it is
possible to achieve such fine airflow control
- thanks to the staggering of inner and outer
façade panels (diagonal opening) - that the
preferences of the other employee remain
unaffected. The double folding façade aims to
motivate users to interact with their premises.
The design not only encourages interpersonal
communication, but also identification with
the building and the company’s products. The
opportunity for personal influence, working in
natural light, and the interrelation created with
the natural world outside when the façade is
open enhances employee well-being and has a
positive influence on productivity.
Downsizing: swapping high-tech
for low-tech
The Co2
mfort façade concept ensures that the
solar warmth generated between the two
façades is used to heat the rooms in winter. In
summer, excess heat is expelled by aerating the
façade space.
Structural features are used to enhance the
natural flow of air. Two monopitch roofs
pitched into the prevailing wind have been
erected above two central atria. Wind
movement around the building shell thus leads
to an active exchange of air. The overhang of
the monopitch roofs creates a vacuum which
draws air out of the atria, while fresh air flows
in through open windows in the façade.
This principle is especially advantageous in
winter, since it allows the solar gain from the
façade to be used as heating. The low-tech
manually controlled façade incurs far fewer
maintenance and operating costs than a
conventional, high-tech, ventilation system.
The building’s thermal management concept
is based entirely on renewable sources of
energy. A geothermal plant produces water
at a constant temperature of approx. 15°C all
year round. A heat pump brings the water
up to the required temperature. In addition,
the waste heat from the server room is fed
into the heating system. The entire heating
system is based on a low-temperature system,
which flows through all the ceilings and the
underfloor heating of the showroom. This
allows all surfaces of the building to emit a
pleasant level of radiant heat.
In summer, the cold water from the geothermal
probe is used to cool all solid structural
elements down to room temperature. In
contrast to an air-conditioning system which
has to transport huge quantities of air, causing
draughts as a result, this system does not
require a re-cooling plant and thus achieves a
significantly better degree of thermal comfort:
instead of cold air being blown into rooms, the
entire structure remains cool. This means there
were no ventilation and air-conditioning system
installation costs and no space was needed for
the requisite system units.
“The Co2mfort
façade is the core
element of the
building - both in
terms of function
and design. With
it, Solarlux meets
the challenges
of a future-proof
office with an
innovative
concept
”
The building reflects the Solarlux corporate
philosophy of“open mind”: transparency,
openness and designed for communication.
Working in natural light and bringing the outside in when the
façade is open enhances the well-being of the employees and
has a positive influence on their productivity.
Solarlux folding glass doors allow generous openings of
the façade, creating a direct link to the environment.

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The result is a considerable reduction in energy
consumption and CO2
emissions associated
with thermal management. Moreover, water is
a far more efficient exchanger of heat than air,
meaning that instead of huge fans, only small
pumps are required.
This in turn reduces the level of energy needed
to run them and keeps ambient noise to a
minimum. As well as using geothermics for
heating and cooling, a share of the electricity
required for the supply network is provided
by a photovoltaic system mounted onto the
atria roofs.
By activating the building components there
is no need for suspended ceilings, meaning
ceilings can be higher, thereby letting in more
natural light and reducing the amount of
electricity used to power artificial lighting.
Fit for future challenges
The Solarlux Co2
mfort façade has been
designed to adapt flexibly to future user
requirements or environmental influences.
All load-bearing pillars have been installed
with plug-in connections to take heating or
cooling elements. The single fixed SL 65 panels
installed in front of the pillars have already
been pre-fitted to take photovoltaic modules.
The subsequent installation of decentralised
ventilation elements featuring waste heat
recovery is also possible.
Research on a “live project”
The entire “Nijverdal” development is a research
project, monitored by the Architecture Faculty
of the TU Delft (Façade Research Group)
and the ifes Institute in Frechen (Institute for
Applied Energy and Flow Simulation). During
the project’s three year term, technical data
such as light intensity, seasonal temperature
gradients, room air oxygen saturation, volume
of air turnover and user behaviour are all being
recorded and scientifically analysed.
Saving energy as a building concept
When it comes to thermal building
management, this leading producer of
folding glass doors has set the standard for
sustainability and CO2
reduction with the
development of its Solarlux Co2
mfort façade.
All stages of the building process and the
concept of minimised technology and
monitoring were designed for universal
sustainability and will have a positive impact
on the CO2
balance of the building in the
long term.
For further details visit: www.solarlux.com
The Co2
mfort façade enables individuals to regulate their own balance of heat
and fresh air supply. Options range from a completely closed façade through
endless partial opening variations to working “in the open air”.
Structural features are used to enhance the natural flow of air.
The new administrative offices of SOLARLUX Nederland BV,
Nijverdal (NL). The office building of the future.