Fredrik Selmers vei 4, Oslo

Project description

The building was originally designed by architect F.S. Platou as a government office building and was completed in 1982. The original blocks have been fully rehabilitated and now contain more effective office areas, fulfill passive house standard, and satisfy the FutureBuilt criteria and energy class A. The project has achieved BREEAM In–Use Excellent.

Important strategies in the rehabilitation have been to give the building a more compact form and new façades. This has contributed to better daylight conditions, reduced energy consumption and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. The façades have been developed in close cooperation with energy consultants. The building´s scale was given by the existing structure, but the light perforated cladding gives the façade a slightly ‘dissolved’ character. The same perforation is used on all of the aluminum sheets. The new continuous floor on level two is organized as a meeting place for Fredrik Selmers vei 4 with a coffee bar, canteen area, auditorium, and large meeting center for the use of the occupants of all of the office blocks.

The project has focused on environmental performance from the outset. An environmental coordinator and energy advisor were contracted, and environmental goals were defined within a variety of themes. A dialogue group was also established with future occupants, meeting regularly throughout the process. The project has been a pilot project for BREEAM-NOR. The project´s environmental plan has been a part of the contracts for all consultants and contractors.

You can also read about Fredrik Selmers vei 4,in the booklet “Think twice before demolishing. Advice on carrying out a successful construction project without demolition” made by Norwegian Green Building Council (page 12).

Low carbon strategies

The greenhouse gas emissions for the projected building were reduced by 49 per  cent compared to the reference building that was calculated in line with TEK 10. In a rehabilitation project the foundations and primary structure is existing and is therefore set to zero in the greenhouse gas calculations. It is only the added materials that produce CO2 emissions.

Fredrik Selmers vei 4 is centrally located with only a two-minute walk to Helsfyr station, a large public transit hub. The nearby Fyrstikktorget has a good selection of services and functions as a local centre for Helsfyr. The design includes a facility for the parking of electric cars and a large number of bicycles under cover.

The energy use in the building is halved following the rehabilitation. The heating requirements are minimized due to high insulation levels and low heat loss. The façades and window areas and the window quality are a result of a thorough analysis of insulation, daylight versus solar energy penetration and lighting levels in the office spaces. Energy savings are also achieved with energy effective and demand controlled lighting (16 kWh/m² år) and reduced internal loads from PCs. A local energy centre provides the building with heat, cooling and warm water. Heating demands are covered by district heating (about 30 per cent), as well as the use of surplus heat from the server area using an air-to-air heat pump (about 70 per cent).

Siteworks, foundations and primary structure are reused as the project is a rehabilitation. The new areas are connected to the existing loadbearing structure between the five blocks using low-carbon concrete and structural steel with 50 per cent recycled content. The basement and roof have also had added insulation as part of the rehabilitation. The existing façade was removed, and a new insulated outer wall of wooden elements, with 350mm glass wool insulation and clad with two layers of recycled aluminum, was installed on the outside of the existing loadbearing structure. The outermost layer of cladding is perforated and lacquered white.

The internal walls consist of drywall, veneer sheeting, timber and insulation. In addition glazed and opaque system walling has been used. The interior doors consist of thin, lacquered steel plates over an insulated core, veneer, laminate and glass. Recycled sheet drywall and environmentally friendly paint and sealants were chosen. All products in the building have undergone a thorough quality control to ensure that environmental toxins and products that negatively affect the internal air quality are eliminated before selection. The main materials are documented with EPDs (Environmental Product Declaration) and timber products are certified to be from sustainable forests.

Water-saving toilets and fixtures were installed in the building and the calculated water use is 4.7 m3/person/year.

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