Olympic House, the new headquarters of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) demonstrates the IOC’s commitment to sustainability, which was one of the five key success factors that the client and architectural team identified at the outset of the project.
The result is – probably - the world’s most sustainable office building, as Olympic House has already received LEED Platinum and obtained the highest score ever given (93 0f 100), Swiss Sustainable Construction Standard Platinum and Minergie P.
To achieve this, an ambitious approach was developed. As it was not possible to conserve the existing administrative buildings, a careful deconstruction and selective demolition was made of the old buildings. As a result of these initiatives and various collaborations, more than 95 percent of the materials used in the IOC’s former administrative buildings have been recycled, reused or upgraded in Olympic House.
Furthermore, the building's double skin facade is shaped so that it is self-shading from the sun, minimizing the need for air conditioning while allowing daylight to flood the glass structure. The roof hosts 1,000 square meters of photovoltaic solar panels that bring in 10% of the building's electricity.
Rainwater is diverted to a 300-cubic-meter retention basin, and then used for watering green areas, toilet flushing and car washes. This strategic reuse of rainwater reduces drinking water consumption by about 60% compared to a conventional building. Through heat exchangers and heat pumps, lake water is used for heating and cooling the building.
Multifunctional use and adaptability were also key concerns when designing the headquarters. With just 14 columns, each 15 centimeters in diameter, the space is extremely flexible, with movable partitions that allow for ample customization.
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