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Swiss Re BuildingNorman Foster

Presented by: Imge Yaman; Ece Akkoyunlu; Hassan Sobhy; Denis Gachev1DesignLondons first environmentally sustainable tall building stands 180m high and consists of 40 storeys. The building consumes about half the energy of most skyscrapers this size. The building gradually widens at each floor plan until it reaches the 16th where it then diminishes until it reaches its apex

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35 km of steel, 10 thousand tons were used to build the Swiss Re24,000 square meters of glass were used for the exterior of the building, equivalent to five football fields.360. The top floor is a circular bar that overlooks the entire city.40 floors and 180 meters in height is Swiss Re, making it the second highest skyscraper in London.76,400 square meters of offices offers the Swiss Re

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External Cladding System :The buildings exterior cladding system consists of full glazed , double-skinned facade comprisingApproximately of 5,500 flat triangular and diamond shaped glass panels.(Profinder).These metalAnd glass prefabricated panels are fixed to the diagrid.

The elements of the facade consist of :

Openable glass screenPerforated aluminium louvers ( internal sun-screen )A column casing of aluminiumFacade frame of extruded aluminium

The glazing to the office areas consist of a double glazed outer layer and a single- glazed inner screen.Sandwiched in between is a central ventilated cavity which reduces heating and cooling requirements.Its performance can be turned to maximise benefits that the prevailing internal and external environmentMight have to offer. The solar-control blinds intercept solar gain before it enters the office environment.

Majorty of the cladding system of St Mary Axe consist of glazing. Glazing to the first 38 levels of the building are to be aluminium framed, while the domed structure on theTop is to be frameless glass.

The glass used for the external cladding is to be produced and installed with good characterises in subject to wind Loading , human impact , safety , security and the UVElimination.

Glazing to be used for the cladding is Solarplus low E Twin Glaze unit by G.James. It is chosen for its superior thermal performance. Glass is to be clear in colour and grey glass for the atrium and dome.

8Despite its overall curved glass shape, there is only one piece of curved glass on the buildingthe lens-shaped cap at the very top.9

The upper three levels of the building from Level 38 provide corporate facilities for Swiss Re and other tenants , including private dining rooms , restaurant and an upper viewing Mezzanine offering 360 degree views over London. These levels are enclosed with a steel and glass dome structure of 30m diameter , rising 22m from its support on the top of the perimeter diagrid.The dome steelwork is a fully welded lattice of intersecting fabricated triangular profiles. The efficiency of this structural arranement results in very minimal steel elements that are only 110m x 150mm in section.The internal structure of the building comprises conventional steel beams and columns with composite profiled decking floors.

The total weight of steel used is approximately 11,000 tones.

Green Building

On each floor, a series of interstices with 6 pipes made of natural ventilation system, functioning as a double glazing. Pipes used for cooling in the summer, drawing warm air from the building, and for heating in winter. They also allow for easier entry of light, with a consequent reduction in the cost of lighting. The systematic internal microclimate and solutions for energy savings have led to a 50% reduction in energy consumption in any case necessary for a building of this size.

12The building uses energy-saving methods which allow it to use half the power that a similar tower would typically consume.Gaps in each floor create six shafts that serve as a natural ventilation system for the entire building even though required firebreaks on every sixth floor interrupt the "chimney." The shafts create a giant double glazing effect; air is sandwiched between two layers ofglazing and insulates the office space inside.

13Environmentally, its aerodynamic form encourages wind to flow around the building, minimizing load on the cladding and structure, reduces the amount of wind deflected to the ground compared with a rectilinear tower of similar size, helping to maintain pedestrian comfort at street level, and creates external pressure differentials that are exploited to drive a unique system of natural ventilation.

14VentilationAmong the buildings most distinctive features are its windows, which open to allow natural ventilation as well as the building is air-conditioned so that for up to 40 percent of the year many of the mechanical systems can be supplemented to reduce energy consumption. To facilitate this, fresh air is drawn through the light wells that spiral up through the building, while the aerodynamic form generates pressure differentials on the facade that assists the natural flow.

Among the buildings most distinctive features are its windows, which open to allow natural ventilation as well as the building is air-conditioned so that for up to 40 percent of the year many of the mechanical systems can be supplemented to reduce energy consumption. To facilitate this, fresh air is drawn through the light wells that spiral up through the building, while the aerodynamic form generates pressure differentials on the facade that assists the natural flow.Atrium between the radiating fingers of each floor link together vertically to form a series of informal break-out spaces that spiral up the building. These spaces are a natural social focus places for refreshment points and meeting areas and function as the buildings lungs, distributing fresh air drawn in through opening panels in the facade. This system reduces the towers reliance on air conditioning and together with other sustainable measures, means that the building is expected to use up to half the energy consumed by air-conditioned office towers. Whenever possible, recycled and recyclable materials have been specified throughout the building.

15This system reduces the towers reliance on air conditioning and together with other sustainable measures, means that the building is expected to use up to half the energy consumed by air-conditioned office towers. Whenever possible, recycled and recyclable materials have been specified throughout the building.

16360 steel nodes connect the Diagrid.Maximum load per diagonal column1,500 tonnesOver 2,500 tonnes of steel were used in the construction ofthe building.Tallest lounge/restaurant in London providing a 360 viewof the cityscape.55 km of steel were used on this project.Over 76,400 square meters of office space are available foruse.At any one time 378 people can be transported vertically atup to 6 meters per second.

17Plumbing The building uses an electric heat-tracing system which provides energy-efficient hot water temperature maintenance, frost protection and snow melting (Process Heat).

Over 1000 metres of Raychem HWAT-M self-regulation heating cable has been installed. This particular type of electric heat tracing system provides instant hot water throughout the building without any re-circulation plumbing. This allows for greater energy efficiency, lower maintenance and significant installation time/cost savings over traditional re-circulation systems (Process Heat). 18Lighting System The lightwells allow daylight to penetrate the building to a further distance inside the building then they would have had the floor gone all the way to the perimeter, helping to improve the internal environment

19Fire SystemThe spiral lightwell arrangement allows for a fire escape strategy based on a variation of phased evacuation. The building is divided into fire safety zones. This allows for the evacuation of one area at a time as opposed to the whole building at once. A system of smoke curtains form smoke reservoirs in the lightwells.

20Sources:

http://www.slideshare.net/adadarmon/swiss-re-building-london

http://www.victorbuyck.be/uploads/projects/doc_14.pdf

Swiss Re; Sustainability at 30 St Mary Axe retrieved 06/04/09