A “building as power station” – this was the guiding principle for the new office building of engineers Basler & Hoffmann in Esslingen near Zurich. Stücheli Architekten composed the building in two parts: a solid concrete construction with an inner timber panel facade and an exterior, folded skin constructed in glass and steel. The latter provides protection against the sun and harnesses solar energy. Approximately
200 m² of PV modules on the roof and facade, as well as a further 95 m² of thermal solar collectors on the roof, make the building autonomous in terms of heating and cooling energy. Heating is provided by means of ground probes. These are not connected to a heat pump but directly to the heating circuit. In summer, the solar collectors deliver their heat directly into the ground via the probes, heating it to temperatures of up to 26 °C. This temperature is available for heating in winter.
200 m² of PV modules on the roof and facade, as well as a further 95 m² of thermal solar collectors on the roof, make the building autonomous in terms of heating and cooling energy. Heating is provided by means of ground probes. These are not connected to a heat pump but directly to the heating circuit. In summer, the solar collectors deliver their heat directly into the ground via the probes, heating it to temperatures of up to 26 °C. This temperature is available for heating in winter.