Busy year in Green Lighthouse
A year has passed since Green Lighthouse opened its doors for the first time.
The CO2-neutral building has been visited by more than 2,000 groups from near and far, including several heads of state, and has received eight national and international nominations and awards of recognition.
The students of the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Copenhagen University have shared the CO2-neutral building Green Lighthouse with many others than teaching staff, administrative personnel and other students in its first year of operation.
The building, literally a green beacon for CO2-neutral building and efficient public-private cooperation, has been visited by more than 2,000 groups and organisations from all over the world in the first year of its life. Even before the official opening day, Andris Piebalgs, EU Commissioner for Energy, dropped in. Since that day, other prominent visitors have included the Mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg when he was here for COP15, China's Minister of Trade, Chen Deming, who was given a guided tour of the building on his two-day visit to Denmark, and President Medvedev of Russia. The day after his visit, he declared that he intended to build a Green Lighthouse in Russia.
"We are delighted that there has been so much interest in Green Lighthouse around the world. Every visitor helps spread the word that it is possible to build CO2-neutral buildings with an excellent indoor climate – right here and now," says Lone Feifer, Strategic Project Manager at VELUX A/S.
Eight nominations and awards of recognition
Green Lighthouse has received eight national and international nominations and awards in its first year of use. It has also been included in two new books:
- Sustainable Building 2000-2010
- Round Architecture
- Green Lighthouse was nominated for the Danish Lighting Award 2010, awarded in December, and received the prize for "Excellent and Beautiful Buildings" in October 2010.
"The prestigious recognitions are a pat on the back for everyone involved in building Green Lighthouse. And we are immensely proud of them," says Lone Feifer.
Today, Green Lighthouse houses a Faculty Lounge, meeting facilities and the Student Service function of the Faculty of Natural Sciences. This places great demands on its functionality as well as climate issues
The unique public-private partnership that transformed a plan into reality comprises the Danish University and Property Agency, VELUX Group, VELFAC A/S, the Municipality of Copenhagen and Copenhagen University.
The partners are still harvesting data and experience from the first year of the building's operation and expect it to be processed and analysed in the spring of 2011.
The eight nominations and awards for Green Lighthouse Award for "Innovative Cooperation" in November 2009 by the Confederation of Danish Industry. Green Lighthouse won the award for the unique fashion in which the partners worked together, resulting in a building that is CO2-neutral, healthy and comfortable.(http://bm.di.dk/Videnom/Marked/Pages/Innovationspris 2008.aspx
Nominated for Climate Cup 2010 award at World Climate Solutions. The jury's justification for the nomination was that Green Lighthouse demonstrates that it is possible to build CO2-neutral buildings without compromising on design, comfort and indoor climate. http://www.climatecup.dk/da/page/449-partnerskabsprisen-2010
Honourable mention in the category of Homes and Commercial Buildings in Building of the Year 2009, presented by the Danish building trade magazine Building.
Award for "Excellent and Beautiful Buildings" in October 2010 by the Municipality of Copenhagen. Green Lighthouse won the award not just because it is a beautiful building but also a visionary project and technological breakthrough. http://www.kk.dk/Nyheder/2010/Oktober/PriserTilSmuktByggeri.aspx
Green Good Design Award 2010. Green Lighthouse was selected from many thousands of buildings from more than 46 countries.http://www.europeanarch.eu/
Nominated among 14 buildings internationally in the category Education and Training at the World Architecture Festival in Barcelona in November 2010. http://www.worldarchitecturefestival.com/winners.cfm?eventYear=2009
Endorsed and supported by the EU Commission's European sustainable energy campaign.http://www.sustenergy.org/
Nominated for the Danish Lighting Award 2010 as one of five projects.http://www.centerforlys.dk/english.php
Photos
Photos can be downloaded from www.greenlighthouse.ku.dk