Sipea siège 38
Sipéa builds and runs social housing in Poitiers, central France. This new building houses their headquarters. It was conceived so that its operating cost would be negative : the selling to the grid of the electricity produced by the photovoltaïc array incorporated into the south-facing side ot the roof more than offsets the running costs of the building (heating, ventilation, etc.). This is achieved not only by producing energy locally (photovoltaïc array : 80m², 8,2 kWp, 9 000 kWh/year), but also through a sharp reduction in the heating and cooling requirements of the building, thanks to careful design and construction. The roof is a see-through photovoltaïc installation : the cells are spaced out between two sheets of glass, mouted in a double-glazed sun-roof. The roof lets natural lighting though, affords protection against direct solar glare, reduces heat loss and produces electricity. The yearly operation of the building requires very little active heating, thanks to an oustanding insulation (22 cm of cellulosic wool in the outer walls) and no active cooling at all. Because the building was well conceived, construction costs were kept at 1500 €/m² (roughly $207/square foot) and yearly operating costs run 30 000 € less than their previious headquarters, which were smaller than this building.
Sipea siège 38
Sipéa builds and runs social housing in Poitiers, central France. This new building houses their headquarters. It was conceived so that its operating cost would be negative : the selling to the grid of the electricity produced by the photovoltaïc array incorporated into the south-facing side ot the roof more than offsets the running costs of the building (heating, ventilation, etc.). This is achieved not only by producing energy locally (photovoltaïc array : 80m², 8,2 kWp, 9 000 kWh/year), but also through a sharp reduction in the heating and cooling requirements of the building, thanks to careful design and construction. The roof is a see-through photovoltaïc installation : the cells are spaced out between two sheets of glass, mouted in a double-glazed sun-roof. The roof lets natural lighting though, affords protection against direct solar glare, reduces heat loss and produces electricity. The yearly operation of the building requires very little active heating, thanks to an oustanding insulation (22 cm of cellulosic wool in the outer walls) and no active cooling at all. Because the building was well conceived, construction costs were kept at 1500 €/m² (roughly $207/square foot) and yearly operating costs run 30 000 € less than their previious headquarters, which were smaller than this building.