Bord Gáis Network Services Center, Dublin, Ireland

The new headquarters of Irish gas supplier Bord Gáis houses administrative offices, canteen, classrooms and a central monotoring control room. Cobiax hollow bodies integrated in the concrete ceilings ensure a comfortable radiant room conditioning while also reducing the embodied energy and the amount of material used for the structure. Noise is reduced by suspended acoustical absorbers at the ceiling. Fresh air is provided via displacement ventilation through the pressurized floor. By renouncing floor ducts maximum flexibility is made possible. The extract ventilation with heat recovery is naturally dissipated on both floors via a central exhaust chimney that is driven by stack effect and wind pressure. Trench heaters for supplemental heating and operable windows allow individual comfort control. A wind resistant metal curtain on the perimeter façade provides shading, combined with light-transparent double glazed insulated glass. Inner courtyards enhance natural daylight in the offices and add greenery to the complex. The facades facing those courtyards are equipped with traditional venetian blinds. To save energy the use of artificial lighting is controlled. Rainwater is harvested for the irrigation system and water efficient fixtures have been installed throughout the building. Based on measurements in recent years the new headquarters in Dublin consume 50-60% less energy compared to other company locations. The following features are part of the energy concept: run around heat recovery system; reversible heat pump with geothermal pile field; gasfired CHP as back-up; photovoltaic panels; solar thermal collector unit for domestic water heating.

2016 Architecture Review Top Building Prize: Ambitious, Effective and Efficient Design
2013 BREEAM 2008 Standard "Excellent" rating
2013 RIAI Irish Architecture Award: Best Commercial + Sustainable Building
2013 Irish Building and Design Awards: Building of the Year
2012 Irish Concrete Society Building Award & Sustainability Commendation