Super-sustainable office building for Big Green Egg Europe

The company’s new premises, which are controlled by a Priva building management system (BMS), incorporate architect-led design with high levels sustainability.

Sustainability credentials

Big Green Egg’s new sustainable building meets its environmental ambitions through the inclusion of a range of sustainable technologies. As the building is not connected to the gas main this includes roof-mounted solar panels; heat and cold storage in the ground; and exceptional insulation. Integration of a Priva BMS means operations savings and efficiencies are expected: the intention is to keep energy consumption to a minimum whilst delivering a healthy and comfortable interior climate for staff and visitors.

Crucially, all the rooms at Big Green Egg’s new offices can be controlled separately using Priva’s Touchpoint One technology. The Touchpoint One allows users to adjust room conditions including heating and cooling via a user-friendly user interface – it constitutes the latest generation of powerful and aesthetically-pleasing operating units.

In addition, TouchPoint One measures CO2 levels on a room-by-room basis. As an increased intake of CO2 can lead to poor decision-making, slower reaction times and greater tiredness, the system’s ability to automatically supply fresh air will be welcomed by across the business. The unit clearly also highlights the status of CO2 levels with the help of clear graphical ‘traffic light’ icons such as a green smiley face (good), a straight-faced amber and unhappy red face when indoor air quality levels reach a high level.

Commenting on his new building Wessel Buddingh, owner of Big Green Egg Europe says;

“The building is very well insulated, with precast concrete walls featuring extra deep cavities. I come from the brick industry, so I knew right from the start what type of brick should be used: a stylish brick that’s bigger than average, so you have good insulation in both summer and winter. The Priva building management system also contributes significantly to the low energy bill. In the first four months we occupied these premises, our energy bill was zero!”

Creating optimal indoor climate

Mr Buddingh’s desire to make a building that works well for its users is clear: “We wanted a modern, user-friendly building in which everything can be controlled very easily. This meant the climate as well. Because Priva has a good reputation within building automation and I know Priva’s founder Mr Prins personally, I specifically wanted to have a Priva system. I think it’s excellent that each room can be controlled separately and that each room is also regulated on CO2. I don’t want our staff losing all their energy during a meeting, so an optimal climate is essential.

“The modern design of Priva’s Touchpoint One control unit fits in perfectly with the design of the building. “With Priva, we are really taking a step into the future: in this way, we are making and keeping the building liveable and manageable.”

Next steps to optimisation

The pathway to a truly optimised building is still a work in progress, says Wessel Buddingh. “We’ve only just got started in the new building, so we’re still discovering and learning lots of things. For instance, we’ve not yet got any air conditioning, only a supply of cool air. Because the building features so much glass, we’re still finding out how best to deal with it. In any event, we don’t have a single regret about opting for Priva!”