ENERGY +
Paris, France

Project Description - from SOM Architects, 22 Feb 2008


image: pmBdesign

Energy + is the world’s first large-scale, sustainable office building that produces more energy than it consumes. Located in Paris’s Hauts-de-Seine neighborhood, the 65,000 square meter (over 213,000 square feet) offers its 4,000 occupants a view of the Seine with offices and amenities designed to supersede current guidelines of sustainability.

In opposition to the typical energy profligacy of the office building typology, SOM sought to expand upon the guidelines articulated by France’s HQE (High Environmental Quality) and the U.S. equivalent, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accreditation to design a building complex that has a positive ecological effect. The design was based on energy economy, respect for the environment, and the health and well-being of its users.


image: pmBdesign

A team of energy and design specialists was brought together to combine the best architectural practices with the most sophisticated technology. By optimizing the performance of construction components and techniques, orienting the building on a north-south axis, adapting thermal insulation and solar shields based on the exposures of the facades, and using renewable energy sources that are locally available, such as solar, wind, and geothermal power, SOM designed a building that will produce 20% more energy than it consumes.

The building will preserve the ecology of its site by preserving and planting trees, and providing water basins on the site to accommodate native plant and animal life and to serve as restful garden spaces. Other amenities include day care, sports facilities, auditorium, conventional and organic restaurants, rest areas, and shops.


image: pmBdesign

Energy + CO2 emission savings are equivalent to:
925 tons of manufactured goods
1478 cars off the road each year
Home heating, electricity, and hot water needs for 925 households/year

Potable water saved at Energy + (17,500 cubic meters) is equivalent to:
Water requirements of 1,660 people for a month
Sustaining a population of 250,000 people for a week
Conserving 2.33 acres of rainforest that receives an average annual rainfall of 1850 mm



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