immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: photovoltaïque

  • Winner of the architectural competition for the Confignon school

    Winner of the architectural competition for the Confignon school

    The winning “Cé Qu’É Lainô” project stands out for its innovative strategy of fragmenting the vast school programme. This approach allows great flexibility in the future use of classrooms, gymnasiums and the youth area. The clever layout of the buildings makes it easier to access the various activities planned for the school and contributes to the liveliness of the future central square in the neighbourhood, which will serve as a social meeting place.

    Integration and site conditions
    The project takes full account of the various site constraints, including the need to create a striking architectural presence at the heart of the neighbourhood. The participating offices had to take into account aspects such as the internal organisation of the programme, construction choices, integration into the future Cherpines district and dialogue with the main public spaces. Mobility management and landscaping were also particularly important. In addition, the school had to accommodate a large number of pupils and teachers, and offer them a living environment conducive to the transmission of knowledge.

    Ambitious energy targets and sustainability
    The programme for the new school is part of an ambitious energy concept, based on connection to district heating, supplied by renewable energy sources. Natural ventilation and a large-scale photovoltaic solar installation on the roof, combined with vegetation, should make it possible to meet the very high energy performance standard (THPE). These measures support the sustainable development of the project as a whole.

    A full competition
    In accordance with the SIA 142 standard, the architectural competition was organised as part of a two-stage open procedure. In the first stage, the focus was on the development concept for the perimeter, in particular the definition of the external spaces, the principles of sustainability and the functional organisation of the programme components. The second stage defined the architectural project for the educational and sports programme, as well as for the outdoor facilities. A total of 46 projects were submitted.

    Future prospects for the Cherpines district
    Following the first phase of construction at Rolliet and the arrival of the first companies in the Cherpines eco-park, Confignon secondary school II will lay the foundation stone for the second phase of the Cherpines project. The school will give shape to the Place des Cherpines and bring the area to life as soon as it opens, welcoming 1,400 students and teachers. The construction of the school will form the first building face of this public space, while the other blocks of the residential district will be built gradually.

    Continuous development
    The competition was held at the same time as the draft Local Plan for the neighbourhood, located between the industrial ecopark and the sports fields, was being drawn up. The PLQ is due to be submitted to the Council of State by early 2025.

  • The Geneva Natural History Museum unveils its energy vision

    The Geneva Natural History Museum unveils its energy vision

    The new extension for the collections, designed by MAK Architecture, will complement the existing wings dating from the 1960s. With over 15 million objects on display, including animals, rocks and minerals from all over the world, the MHNG is the largest natural history museum in Switzerland and one of the ten largest in Europe. This extension will not only enable the collections to be better organised and presented, but will also create new workspaces, improve visitor reception areas and create a new space for temporary exhibitions.

    Energy efficiency as a key element
    One of the central aims of the project is to improve the museum’s energy efficiency. The historic part of the building already underwent an energy-efficiency renovation in 2012, and the new extension will be built to the very high energy-efficiency standard. This is in line with the City of Geneva’s strategy of using 100% renewable energy and eliminating CO² emissions by 2050.

    Photovoltaic installation and sustainable lighting
    One of the highlights of the renovation is the installation of the second largest photovoltaic system in the city of Geneva. In addition, the entire building will be fitted with high-efficiency LED lights and will use natural lighting to further reduce energy consumption.

    Heating and air-conditioning systems
    The heating needs of the new extension will be met entirely by renewable energies, and the total share of renewable energies on the entire site will gradually rise to 80%. A heat pump will be the main source of heating energy, saving 70 tonnes of CO² emissions per year compared with conventional systems. In an emergency, gas heating will be available as a back-up solution.

    Optimised ventilation and air conditioning
    Particular attention has been paid to ventilation and air conditioning in order to protect the fragile collections from harmful variations in humidity. This will enable the museum to receive valuable loans from other institutions that require high conservation standards.