Innovative School Revitalization into Smart, Secure, Sustainable, Energy&Carbon Positive Building

ECOTEN

Short description

Reconstruction of the school in Prague into a Smart, Sustainable, Secure, Operationally Energy and Carbon Positive Building represents a unique transformation of a building from the 1970s into a modern educational institution of the 21st century. It is now beautiful, barrier-free, user-friendly, transparent, naturally aging and connecting with the surrounding greenery. This pilot project shows the possibilities of a complex revitalization in accordance with the planned European taxonomy - zero-emission buildings and the New European Bauhaus initiative.
The originally intricate layout maze has been replaced by a clear layout that respects the specific requirements of all educational disciplines. Moreover, the new school premises are versatile, allowing the institution to adapt to the future requirements of modern education. Generous, well-arranged corridors represent the basic backbone of the building as well as the meeting place. The fresh open style is enhanced by vistas into greenery and by the new outdoor living atrium, into which the common areas and some teaching spaces face. The atrium transitions into outdoor spaces for alternative outdoor teaching, as well as for active students‘ relaxation. The color accents of the warm yellow classrooms, dark blue cabinets and school management are easily identifiable. In contrast, locksmith constructions, doors and small accessories are executed in black, including a unique orientation system. The building and its immediate surroundings thus work in a pleasant symbiosis that aims to positively motivate regular users and visitors.
The implementation of several innovative measures alongside commonly available technologies has created a unique complex ensuring mitigation and adaptation to climate change. The building is designed and operated also as a Living Lab. Therefore, the real technical and economic efficiency of the overall solution in comparison to original assumptions are researched. Results will be regularly published by an energy management team. The revitalization touched all pillars of sustainability according to the SBToolCZ methodology during the whole life cycle:
Environment
- Operationally Energy and Carbon Positive Building
- Innovative wooden curtain facade ENVILOP - an outcome of Czech applied research at CTU in Prague was used for the first time
- The building envelope complies with passive house standards
- Geothermal heat pumps (heating, cooling and hot water), 147 kWp PVs; 300 kWh battery
- Innovative AI Predictive Control System: One day ahead are predicted: building's energy consumption, PVs production and spot electricity prices. The system behaviour follows the main priority: energy self-sufficiency, then spot electricity prices and then price of battery discharge
- Grey water from showers and washbasins is cleaned and used for flushing toilets
- Rain water is accumulated and used for irrigation
- The building has an extensive green roof, vertical greenery
User comfort
- Forced ventilation with heat recovery and regenerative heat exchangers controlled by CO2&VOC sensors
- Microclimate manged by automatic control system based on the classrooms‘ schedule, the presence of people and could be partially controlled manually
- Ventilation, heating and cooling stops while windows are opened
- The lights are controlled by the level of daylight contribution in order to maintain 500 lux at the desk. Automatically controlled blinds. Lights and blinds could be also controlled manualy
Economy and management
- The Life Cycle Cost calculations as decision tool
- The full set of as-built documentation including all professions and operational manuals
- All significant energy consumption appliances and nods are measured and managed
- The waste chains were built from classrooms upto central collection place