Hasta La Ideas

Graz, the second largest city in Austria after Vienna, recently got its first energy independent supermarket. Built by local firm, LOVE Architects, the supermarket generates more energy than it consumes through a series of sustainable operating systems.

The market features some of the standard bells and whistles like sustainable, recyclable materials and a large window that spans the entire front to let in lots of natural light; When the sun goes down, the daylight control system actives LED lighting. The structure’s striking, angular envelope, made from hot dipped galvanized steel sheets, offers a high level of insulation, and the contrasting wood-clad interior has a built-in thermally activated floor plate for additional cooling and heating.

These heating devices are powered by the waste heat emitted by the cooling system during the market’s operation, eliminating the need for a conventional heating system. Additional energy is generated by photovoltaic’s in the parking lot as well as a water power turbine in the nearby Schleifbach River. Green spaces on the rooftop provide an area for for surface water to drain and all the excess energy is fed back into the grid. This market even has an answer to noise pollution with an enclosed dock for delivery trucks.

LOVE Architects went full cradle to cradle with their disassembly concept that includes a separation process made easy with recyclable and mono-materials. “All the layers of the flat roof were fitted mechanically to facilitate dismantling. The perimeter insulation was also loosely fitted to permit removal and refuse after deconstruction of the building.”

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