The “Citypassagen” office building is located close to the transport hub of Örebro, a city in Sweden, and it is distinguished by both its architecture and the smart environmental solutions it implements.
The building was named after the passageway that goes through the ground floor, serving as a corridor for pedestrians and providing immediate access to the city centre. In order to maximise the amount of sunlight entering the square building, a second passageway has been added above the ground floor, separating the structure into four parts touching at the centre, thus facilitating the movement of workers in each part.

 

The challenge 

One of the project’s main challenges involved selecting a product for the façade. Due to the high number of visitors in the building, it was particularly important to select the proper material that would guarantee the safety of both residents and visitors, whereas the building necessitated a golden three-dimensional façade made of aluminium composite panels that would highlight its architectural design.

For the building’s envelope, Elval Colour suggested the use of etalbond^®A2 aluminium composite panels which satisfy the buildings’ maximum fire protection requirements in line with the strictest European and international standards. Panels were selected in a golden tint and they cover a total of 4,000 m2, having been configured so as to give a three-dimensional aspect to the building’s shell, whereas 340 solar panels have been installed to supply the building with “green” electricity. The etalbond^® aluminium composite panels are easy to configure thus allowing for a great variety of three-dimensional or curved shapes associated to environmentally-friendly solutions. The project was implemented as a design-build project, using BIM data and applying LEAN methods, by architecture firm ROOF Arkitekter AB, a member of PE Teknik & Arkitektur AB, and it was constructed by the INHUS Group.

Furthermore, the building is supplied with “green” electricity by means of solar collectors on its façade, whereas rainwater is collected and used to flush all toilets, as part of an innovative solution for saving water. Ventilation and lighting are controlled according to demand. Specifically, sensors have been integrated in the ceiling identifying the areas were the personnel works, and, when any room is empty, lights are turned off and ventilation is reduced to a minimum. Similarly, the sensors regulate lighting according to the amount of sunlight entering the building and, should the building become overheated, ventilation increases.