Mixed functions as a sustainability strategy

The merging and advantageous stacking of offices, homes, a school and retail facilities results in a compact model. This model offers a number of advantages. By including functions with a low-rise typology like stores and greenhouses in the model, the design makes optimum use of the available land. And thanks to the concentration of activities, there is less traffic than would be the case with a building with separate functions.

Another important advantage of the compact model is that it creates an opportunity to develop a more balanced response to the demand for energy over time. In residential units, the energy demand spikes in the mornings and evenings. In the case of offices, the energy demand reaches its highest point at the middle of the day. A building’s energy supply often does not work efficiently, because capacity is regulated to meet the peak-hour demand any time of day, including off-peak hours.