The Powerhouse collaboration refurbished two existing office blocks, reducing the energy consumption of the buildings by 90%.
Powerhouse Kjørbo. The façade panels have been charred using local waste wood.
Ground floor reception, block 4. Suspended acoustic baffles ensure a good sound environment inside the exposed concrete structure.
Landscape office area. The main tenant, Asplan Viak, has been a partner in the Powerhouse alliance. Facing page: Stairway by reception, block 4.
Diagram showing energy wells. The wells in the park provide cooling in the summer, and heating in the winter.
Powerhouse Kjørbo in Sandvika outside of Oslo opened in April 2014 and is the first finished project of the Powerhouse collaboration. Two office buildings from the early 1980s have been refurbished, reducing their energy use by 90 percent. The solar panels on the roofs can produce more than 200 000 kWh per year – twice the amount needed to operate the buildings.
Developing a good indoor environment with low energy consumption has been a priority. Ventilation, insulation and energy-efficient lighting systems are just a few of the features that contributed to Powerhouse Kjørbo receiving a BREEAM Outstanding certification for the design phase.
The companies collaborating in Powerhouse are: Entra Eiendom, Skanska, Snøhetta, the environmental NGO ZERO, the aluminium company Hydro, the aluminium profile company Sapa og the consulting firm Asplan Viak.
Consultants for Powerhouse Kjørbo: Skanska Teknikk, Asplan Viak, Itech. Energy consultant: Skanska Teknikk. BRREAM NOR AP: Skanska Teknikk. BREEAM NOR auditor: Multiconsult. Research partner: The Research Centre on Zero Emission Buildings (ZEB).