Green Lighthouse

Architectural ambition for sustainability

“It is the government's ambition that Denmark is at the forefront in the green area. However, good intentions cannot do this alone. The most important thing is the initiatives that actually will transform society. Green Lighthouse is such a concrete initiative on all parameters - and now it is also certified for it.”
Says Minister of Climate, Energy and Building Martin Lidegaard.

Green Lighthouse is the first public building with carbon-neutral energy consumption in Denmark. The circular-shaped building creates a calm focal point in an area characterized by several different building styles and a myriad of odd angles. The green translucent composite façade transforms the area’s corroded copper roofs into a reflective facade, which acts as a dynamic contrast to the neighboring buildings. Inside, the circular design continues as the central concept of the building, where a lightweight stairway follows the round shape up through the interior of the building towards the skylights.

A Social Meeting Point

Green Lighthouse is a social and academic focal point for the Faculty of Science campus at the University of Copenhagen. Each floor has study areas, and right at the top is the Faculty Lounge with a large roof terrace. The circular shape plays a key role in the energy profile of the building, as it provides the largest possible volume with the smallest possible surface area, resulting in very low heat loss, and supporting the CO2-neutral energy profile of the building. On the outside, the facade catches the sunlight’s movement across the sky and window shades capture the solar heat that heats the building.

Client

Danish University and Property Agency

Area

970 m2 / 10 441 ft2

Year

2009

Location

Copenhagen, Denmark

Collaborators

Danish Ministry of Science / Technology and Innovation University of Copenhagen / Copenhagen Municipality / COWI / Hellerup Byg / VELUX / VELFAC

Images

Adam Mørk

Users

University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Science

Awards

In 2012 Green Lighthouse was awarded the Municipality of Copenhagen’s Architecture Award and in 2011 the building won the Innovation Award from Danish Industry for the innovative solutions incorporated in the architecture.