concrete structure and is protected from overheating by a 6.7m roof
made of aluminium louvres oriented according to the sun angle and need
for shade
- Low winter sun is admitted, but the louvred canopy is designed to protect
the building from the high Mediterranean summer sun, when temperatures
can be as high as 40 C
- Natural ventilation is used to offset internal heat gain, backed-up by a fan-
coil system to provide comfort cooling when needed
- Exposed concrete soffits and internal blockwork walls help to increase
the building's thermal mass so that night-time ventilation can be used
to cool the structure
- Cross ventilation through the offices is encouraged through operable
windows on the main elevations and high level panels on the perimeter
of the atrium
- The tall atrium skylights maximise the potential for air extraction as part
of the building's natural ventilation system
- Warm air is naturally expelled through the open grills by stack effect
- Theoretical analysis of the final design showed that in typical climate
conditions, thermal comfort will be achieved with natural ventilation for
55% of the year
- Mechanical cooling will be required for 10% of the year and heating for
35% of the year
