LEED Energy Model for Museo do Amanhã

Optimizing building energy performance

Sustainability is a core component of the Porto district’s urban revitalization project, which has been planned for Rio de Janeiro’s role as host of the 2014 World Cup Games and the 2016 Olympic Games. Hence, sustainability was made a key criterion to develop the Museu do Amanhã (Museum of Tomorrow). This new 170,725-square-foot museum in the Porto district, on Pier Maua in Rio de Janeiro’s Guanabara Bay, was commissioned to worldrenowned architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava.

Project
KEMA worked with Calatrava’s design team and the Casa do Futuro team (LEED® consultants) on measures to maximize the museum’s energy performance. Although the LEED Energy Model is generally used to anticipate building energy performance, KEMA applied it as a design tool during development. KEMA used it to quantify the building envelope’s performance and provide direction for the mechanical and electrical designers to meet the energy-saving goals. This two-story museum’s most prominent feature is a set of articulating roof elements that provide solar shading, while housing photovoltaic panels that track the sun’s movement. The building envelope is a thermal mass concrete base assembly combined with a high-performance steel upper structure, which minimizes heat loads and creates an open volume for the interior. Interior walls are also thermal mass to take advantage of the diurnal variance, or daily temperature change, in the area and part-time scheduled occupancy. The museum’s primary focus is the experience it creates for visitors, so the design team explored nearly invisible energy efficiency means that would not interfere. The museum primarily uses LED lighting, which is ultra efficient and minimizes internal heat gain. Daylighting sensors control indoor lighting electricity needs, by maximizing natural daylighting when available, since it doesn’t use electricity. The air-conditioning uses highly efficient chillers with heat rejection to the surrounding bay. This eliminates cooling towers, which increases energy efficiency while not expending potable water for heat rejection. A dedicated outdoor air system uses energy recovery to efficiently deliver ventilation at rates that exceed required levels, while providing exceptional indoor air quality.

Benefits
The museum’s energy-efficient measures lessen the costs and reduce the negative environmental impacts of operations. The museum is expected to exceed the energy efficiency requirements of ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007, by at least 10%.

Client
> Casa do Futuro, Brazil

Project coordinator
> Fundação Roberto Marinho, Brazil

Project partners
> Santiago Calatrava
> Rui Rezende Arquitetura, Brazil
> Consular Engenharia, Brazil
> LD Studio, Brazil
> KEMA, Brazil

Project details
> Duration: September 2010 - July 2012 (estimated)