ABSTRACT
Powerhouse One is the name chosen for the development of a Norwegian experimental office building project. The site for the Powerhouse One project was found by the water’s edge at the heart of Trondheim, the technology capital of Norway. Starting with a globe set into a 3D digital model of the site, energy simulation software was used to identify the tilt and orientation of a plane that would receive the most solar radiation over the course of a typical meteorological year. In a high performance building design where each minute possibility for energy saving is scrutinized, air must be moved with the least possible assistance from mechanical devices. Powerhouse One interacts with the city and the water, not only in an urban sense, but also by technological means. The designers, researchers, and developers involved in the Powerhouse One project set out to reach an energy performance goal above and beyond net zero.
