Mårtensbro school and day care
The building house day-care, pre-school and school facilities for 550 students and a staff of 70.
To best adapt to the site topography the building varies in height from one storey day-care wing to three stories on the northern side. The two wings define a smaller scale southwards opening courtyard, which is shielded from the traffic and cold north wind by the higher part of the building.
Facades are mostly of hand-made off-white brick except the courtyard facade which in contrast features large timber columns for sunshading and to emphasize the undulating eaves line.
The main lobby (=main entrance, dining hall, stage and student library) is located centrally between the wings containing the class rooms. The lobby connects all the different levels and functions and offers long views to the surroundings.
Inside the materials and colours are neutral (hand-made brick, concrete and birch) to provide a long-lasting backdrop for the hustle and bustle of kids.
The school building is a pilot project for energy efficient education buildings for the City of Espoo. BIM-based simulations were used to project building's energy consumption during design.
Building utilizes district heating, geothermal energy and solar energy both passively and actively. Geothermal energy is used for both heating (floor heating and hot water) and cooling (kitchen, computer class and offices). Solar energy is harvested by photovoltaic panels and solar thermal collectors. The panels feed into the electric system and collectors heat the kitchen's hot water.
Furthermore the building is test bed for a forced-air system and during construction an array of wireless RFID sensors were embedded in the structures to provide real-time information on the building. The spaces are equipped with occupancy sensors controlling HVAC and electric-systems to minimize unnecessary energy consumption when spaces are not in use.
