Natural Positive Building
Energy Innovation // 78550 Houdan
The project
Client: COSTE Architectures
Programme: Construction of an innovative workplace
Areas: 500 sqm
Construction value: €800,000 excl. tax
Delivery: June 2009
Project team:
Lead architect: COSTE Architectures
Energy engineering: AMOES Énergie Positive + Patrick TUAL
Timber and weathertight envelope: EIKOS Construction
Civil works contractor: AERE 2000
Electrical contractor: LTE
Air handling / plumbing: B. AUBRY
Painting: MI FA SOL Deco
Landscape: Jardins de Gally
Wind turbine: Sylvidra / Ampair
Featured on the TF1 evening news (8 February 2010)
Press articles:
EcomaisonBois n°2 — January-February 2010
ArchiCree n°344 — December 2009 / January 2010
Chalets et Maisons Bois n°42 — December 2009
Nouvelles de Rambouillet — 3 June 2009
Unis Pour Bâtir — Special Edition December 2008
Le Courrier de Mantes — 10 December 2008
Environnement Magazine n°1672 — November 2008
Project overview
Project overview:
The Natural Positive Building® is a new concept for an HQE positive-energy office building, exemplary in HQE with 12 targets at the Very High Performance level, and exemplary in carbon neutrality.
It is one of the first "true" BePOS buildings — because, as Emmanuel Coste likes to repeat, a true BePOS is the application of the NegaWatt® approach: first sobriety, then efficiency, and only then renewable energies. It is therefore not enough to cover any old building with photovoltaics without first applying bioclimatic design.
The Natural Positive Building® is a true Cradle-to-Cradle® approach, allowing this workplace to be designed as ephemeral in the medium term, leaving the smallest possible ecological footprint.
Innovative in energy:
- no heating system, no air conditioning
- energy consumption = 12 kWh/sqm/year, i.e. 5,760 kWh/year
- photovoltaic + small wind production = 11,500 kWh/year
- the building therefore generates: +5,740 kWh/year — POSITIVE ENERGY
A living space:
- a luminous, open and welcoming work environment,
- a special connection with the surrounding nature: pond, vegetable garden, green spaces… and a tree inside the building!
- exceptional air quality through ventilation and the choice of healthy materials
Exemplary sustainable development:
- exemplary landscaping on the plot
- creation of a biotope pond to support biodiversity
- creation of a vegetable garden for staff use
- composting and waste sorting
- rainwater recycling
Zero-carbon objective:
- timber-frame construction = carbon sink
- low overall ecological footprint
- carbon-offsetting policy
- hybrid vehicles and bicycles
- use of trains
- car-pooling
