In this issue of Construction Site News, Bernd Gierlich reveals the extent of modern technology concealed within the Archive of the Future. Five kilometers of data cable course their way through the building and another 5 kilometers of piping deliver warm and cool air. Read further and discover other clandestine technical details in our interview with Bernd Gierlich - available in full on the wall newspaper in the showroom at Marktplatz Lichtenfels and here on our website.
A ) How much technology is tucked away inside the Archive of the Future?
No less than 5 kilometers of data cable, 7 kilometers of power and control lines, and 5 kilometers of pipes, for the conveyance of warm and cool air, wind their way through the Archive of the Future! Construction engineer Bernd Gierlich tends to the various technical systems operating in the building: from the electrical and network systems to the building’s ventilation and air conditioning. In this interview, he takes us behind and beneath the surface, providing readers with a number of fascinating details.
B ) Out of sight, out of mind
The greatest challenge for technical designers was making such an extensive volume of interconnected technical networks invisible. Both the architect and the client wanted these aesthetically distracting elements hidden behind protruding walls, floor structures and ceiling panels. To facilitate eventual maintenance and repairs, concealed access panels and removable wall sections were designed and put in place giving technicians easy access to every installation.
C ) Keeping it cool
Using large windows in stead of thick walls invariably means increased heat in summer and rapid cooling in winter. How can technology help? Highly efficient heating and cooling system were streamlined into the ceilings and floors. And a super-conductive aluminum foam ceiling with strategically placed piping above it provides radiant cooling in summer. The same type of piping also controls floor temperatures. As the seasons progress into winter, this system can gradually provide more heat in a particularly energy-saving way with the help of a reversible heat pump.
D ) A building with a mind of its own
Such elaborate technical systems can only provide maximum benefits if they are flawlessly coordinated. How long should the heating run, when should the ventilation kick in and for how long?
Thanks to an advanced control system able to perceive and respond to temperature, humidity and air quality data - measured by wireless sensors - the building is able to “know” just how many people are within its walls at any given time. It can then coordinate the operation of all technical systems accordingly, optimizing energy use, and reducing waste of precious resources to a sustainable minimum.
Want to keep reading: detailed information about other building challenges can be found in the second issue of our magazine.
Ein Tipp: einen ausführlichen Text über die Herausforderungen auf der Baustelle finden Sie auch in der zweiten Ausgabe unseres Magazins: