A new Montessori school in Drøbak, Norway is one of the latest projects completed by a coalition of architects, engineers, and developers called Powerhouse that is constructing energy-positive buildings.
Their goal is to construct buildings that provide more power over the course of their lifetimes than they cost to build, run and demolish. Powerhouse members are architecture firm Snøhetta, Entra and Asplan Viak, two real estate companies, and Zero Emission Resource Organization (ZERO), a non-profit foundation.
The Norwegian school features solar panels and geothermal wells. The design has to change from “form follows function” to “form follows environment,” says one Powerhouse member.
So far, Powerhouse has retrofitted one building in addition to the school, and is constructing its first purpose-built office building. Other groups are building energy-positive buildings, but none have taken the full life-cycle approach, accounting for construction and demolition, as Powerhouse does.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Feb 14, 2019
ISO publishes first global BIM standards
Based on British standard and a publicly available standard.
Codes and Standards | Feb 12, 2019
Property technology adoption accelerates in commercial real estate industry
New business models create disintermediation.
Codes and Standards | Feb 11, 2019
Investing in downtowns pays off for cities, regions
Benefits include driving tax revenue, business activity, and smart development.
Codes and Standards | Feb 8, 2019
Oslo, Norway’s downtown goes virtually car-free
Parking spots converted to bike lanes, transit is fast and easy.
Codes and Standards | Feb 7, 2019
New North Carolina energy code has extensive lighting control requirements
Includes automatic shut offs for buildings of all sizes.
Codes and Standards | Feb 6, 2019
Solar carports can help with California’s Title 24 mandates
Can be combined with virtual net-metering software and tax-enabled financing.
Codes and Standards | Feb 5, 2019
Milwaukee board approves rezoning for Western Hemisphere’s tallest mass timber building
Mixed-use tower would rise 21 stories high.
Codes and Standards | Feb 1, 2019
Mass. governor proposes real estate transfer fee hike for climate resiliency projects
Opposed by real estate and trade groups, plan could generate $1 billion in next decade.
Codes and Standards | Jan 31, 2019
New York City will reform construction bid process
Streamlined process intended to improve efficiency, reduce hassle for bidders.
Codes and Standards | Jan 30, 2019
New AGC program aims to diversify construction workforce
More diversity needed to keep pace with demand for workers.