27th International conference on

Passive and Low Energy Architecture

Visit of sustainable Buildings

Wednesday 13 July, 11:15 - 15:15 or Thursday 14 July, 11:15 - 15:15

CAMELEON | Construction of sales area and offices
Arch.: Ch. WITTOCK Architect and AAVO | Eng.: MATRIciel, Boucherie cvba

The project covers the construction of a new sales area and offices for Famous ClothesSA Caméléon on the periphery of Brussels. The building (13 000 m²) includes also a daycare center for 39 children, a cafeteria and a conciergerie.
The energy challenge of the project lies in the passive management of cooling. Sales areas, which are not air conditioned, are thus ventilated naturally by windows whose opening is controlled automatically according to the interior (temperature and CO2 concentration) and outside climate, but also by the temperature of concrete structure. Thermal solar panels (8 m²) provide preheating of the warm water for sanitation facilities for the cafeteria and the daycare center, while photovoltaic panels (128 m²) in the roof and pergola produce part of the electricity used by the building and a wood-fired boiler produces most of the heat (75 %).
The recovery of rain water is organised on the roof and used to feed sanitary facilities and power points intended for the maintenance of buildings. Most of materials used in the construction were the subject of an environmental assessment, with special attention given to the economy of materials: structural precast concrete, visible inside and outside, green facades and roof, wood sun shadings, slabs painted white. All the wood used in construction has been replanted according to some criteria that promote biodiversity.