Tall, red and green: Social housing scheme sells energy back to the grid

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Though there may be no obvious green bells and whistles such as wind turbines or photovoltaics, passive architectural methods combined with on-site generation contribute to what ACXT claims is a "considerable reduction" in the building's carbon dioxide emissions

More central to the building's sustainable efforts is the cogeneration system which produces 70 kW of electricity and 109 kW of heating on site

The building's plant has been hidden away, with the necessary ventilation provided by subtle, continuous grilles rather than chimneys. In this way the building's "fifth facade" remains unsullied

The build includes below-ground parking

Standing second in line of a row of four siblings, it's 242 Units that stands out

Though there may be no obvious green bells and whistles such as wind turbines or photovoltaics, passive architectural methods combined with on-site generation contribute to what ACXT claims is a "considerable reduction" in the building's carbon dioxide emissions

The building's plant has been hidden away, with the necessary ventilation provided by subtle, continuous grilles rather than chimneys. In this way the building's "fifth facade" remains unsullied

Standing second in line of a row of four siblings, it's 242 Units that stands out

By limiting the height of the development to the south, more apartments are granted a direct view of the sun

Though there may be no obvious green bells and whistles such as wind turbines or photovoltaics, passive architectural methods combined with on-site generation contribute to what ACXT claims is a "considerable reduction" in the building's carbon dioxide emissions

As an illustration of just how eye-catching the building is, search Salburúa, Vitoria-Gasteiz on Google Maps. It's not at all hard to spot

More central to the building's sustainable efforts is the cogeneration system which produces 70 kW of electricity and 109 kW of heating on site

By limiting the height of the development to the south, more apartments are granted a direct view of the sun

Though there may be no obvious green bells and whistles such as wind turbines or photovoltaics, passive architectural methods combined with on-site generation contribute to what ACXT claims is a "considerable reduction" in the building's carbon dioxide emissions

ACXT reports that the building is able to produce electricity to sell back to the grid, which suggests that, for some of the time at least, the cogeneration system is producing more electricity than the building needs

By limiting the height of the development to the south, more apartments are granted a direct view of the sun

As an illustration of just how eye-catching the building is, search Salburúa, Vitoria-Gasteiz on Google Maps. It's not at all hard to spot

ACXT reports that the building is able to produce electricity to sell back to the grid, which suggests that, for some of the time at least, the cogeneration system is producing more electricity than the building needs

Though there may be no obvious green bells and whistles such as wind turbines or photovoltaics, passive architectural methods combined with on-site generation contribute to what ACXT claims is a "considerable reduction" in the building's carbon dioxide emissions

As an illustration of just how eye-catching the building is, search Salburúa, Vitoria-Gasteiz on Google Maps. It's not at all hard to spot

More central to the building's sustainable efforts is the cogeneration system which produces 70 kW of electricity and 109 kW of heating on site

By limiting the height of the development to the south, more apartments are granted a direct view of the sun

ACXT reports that the building is able to produce electricity to sell back to the grid, which suggests that, for some of the time at least, the cogeneration system is producing more electricity than the building needs

Though there may be no obvious green bells and whistles such as wind turbines or photovoltaics, passive architectural methods combined with on-site generation contribute to what ACXT claims is a "considerable reduction" in the building's carbon dioxide emissions

Article Summary

Look up this project on the website of its architects ACXT and you will find that it goes by the rather understated name of 242 Affordable Housing Units in Salburúa (Salburúa being a neighborhood in the Basque city of Vitoria-Gasteiz). In many ways the downplaying of the name is in keeping with ACXT's quiet approaches to sustainable design. Though there may be no obvious green bells and whistles such as wind turbines or photovoltaics, passive architectural methods combined with on-site generation contribute to what ACXT claims is a "considerable reduction" in the building's carbon dioxide emissions.

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