Change RegionAbout Us Anatomy of a Green Building
Johnson Controls is actively helping buildings become energy efficient in Europe
Time and time again, Johnson Controls has shown itself to be one of the leading developers and proponents of “green” building in the world.
But what does a “green” building look like?
Les Miroirs, a stunning mirror-lined tower complex in the Paris district of La Defense, is an example. Originally built in the 1980s, three of the four towers are owned by glass manufacturer St. Gobain and pension fund IXIS AEW.
Unfortunately, like many buildings that went up around that time, Les Miroirs uses an offsite facility for its heating and air conditioning—by the early part of the 21st century, that was no longer practical. At the same time, the building’s owners wanted to make the overall complex more efficient and comfortable for the people who work there.
The owners turned to Johnson Controls for help. In its winning bid, Johnson Controls offered a plan that, within a 15-month timeframe while the building continued to be occupied, would:
1. Free Les Miroirs from dependence on a central power plant.
2. On top of that, guarantee substantial financial savings over a seven-year contract period and an environmentally friendly solution during installation.
3. Fix the HVAC and controls system by designing and installing the largest-ever variable refrigerant volume system and improving the overall air quality in the building. Johnson Controls was faced with installing HVAC and control systems in a three-tower complex with no dedicated plant room and no equipment stock room.
Substantial Success
To say that Johnson Controls overcame these hurdles is an understatement. Not only was Les Miroirs freed from the constraints of a central service plant, savings in excess of 200,000 Euros can be expected over the course of seven years.
Moreover, the occupants of the office complex are now able to enjoy state-of-the-art building management systems and zoning controls and vastly improved air quality (each office has a dedicated fresh-air duct and more efficient temperature and humidity controls). Other benefits include offsite waste recycling as well as significant reductions in overall energy use and CO2 emissions.
Nor is Les Miroirs Johnson’s only foray into green building in Europe. The company also provided a Metasys system (which provides building managers in-depth analysis of heating, cooling and energy use for the building and allows them to control it) for the well-known Uniqua tower in Vienna. The facility received the Green Building certificate from the European Union in recognition of its energy-efficient design, which includes a pollution-free heating and cooling system, terrestrial heat and long-distance heating that reduces the annual CO2 output by approximately 84 tons.
But what does a “green” building look like?
Les Miroirs, a stunning mirror-lined tower complex in the Paris district of La Defense, is an example. Originally built in the 1980s, three of the four towers are owned by glass manufacturer St. Gobain and pension fund IXIS AEW.
Unfortunately, like many buildings that went up around that time, Les Miroirs uses an offsite facility for its heating and air conditioning—by the early part of the 21st century, that was no longer practical. At the same time, the building’s owners wanted to make the overall complex more efficient and comfortable for the people who work there.
The owners turned to Johnson Controls for help. In its winning bid, Johnson Controls offered a plan that, within a 15-month timeframe while the building continued to be occupied, would:
1. Free Les Miroirs from dependence on a central power plant.
2. On top of that, guarantee substantial financial savings over a seven-year contract period and an environmentally friendly solution during installation.
3. Fix the HVAC and controls system by designing and installing the largest-ever variable refrigerant volume system and improving the overall air quality in the building. Johnson Controls was faced with installing HVAC and control systems in a three-tower complex with no dedicated plant room and no equipment stock room.
Substantial Success
To say that Johnson Controls overcame these hurdles is an understatement. Not only was Les Miroirs freed from the constraints of a central service plant, savings in excess of 200,000 Euros can be expected over the course of seven years.
Moreover, the occupants of the office complex are now able to enjoy state-of-the-art building management systems and zoning controls and vastly improved air quality (each office has a dedicated fresh-air duct and more efficient temperature and humidity controls). Other benefits include offsite waste recycling as well as significant reductions in overall energy use and CO2 emissions.
Nor is Les Miroirs Johnson’s only foray into green building in Europe. The company also provided a Metasys system (which provides building managers in-depth analysis of heating, cooling and energy use for the building and allows them to control it) for the well-known Uniqua tower in Vienna. The facility received the Green Building certificate from the European Union in recognition of its energy-efficient design, which includes a pollution-free heating and cooling system, terrestrial heat and long-distance heating that reduces the annual CO2 output by approximately 84 tons.
