dz-bank-00

Photos: DZ Bank / Werkfoto Gartner

DZ Bank – Berlin

The extraordinary building located at the Pariser Platz has an air conditioning concept, which has been developed with a dynamic building and plant simulation.

The new office and administrative buildings which were designed by Frank O. Gehry & Associates, Santa Monica, United States for the DZ Bank, emerged in 2000 on the Pariser Platz in Berlin in the immediate vicinity to the Brandenburger Tor. Core of the building is a large glass covered atrium which also provides additional sun exposure across seven floors to the office areas. The sculpturally shaped canopy, the "Atrium-Skylight" measures 61m times 20m. In the Interior of the Atrium there are additional special building blocks: the arched glass roof of the Casino on the ground floor and the stainless-steel cladded, shell-shaped auditorium with a "glass eye", a window that extends to the atrium.

There are high-quality apartments at the rear of the building to Behrensstraße in the south. A restaurant area with a large commercial kitchen and additional conference rooms and auditoriums are also a part of the space concept.

The task of ifes was to check the climate concept on its feasibility for DZ Bank. Dynamic building and plant simulations were applied.
Goal and focus of the analysis was to investigate the thermal behavior of the atrium and in particular the risk of condensation on the glass roof in winter case.

Flow Simulation of the Atrium

The behavior of the atrium in extreme summer and winter days was of particular interest. By means of a fluid dynamic simulation, the distribution of air temperature, humidity and velocity was examined at selected days.

Results of the building simulation were the determination of the maximum dynamic heating and cooling loads and the annual demand for heating and cooling energy of the whole building and individual zones. In order to test the thermal comfort, the approachable indoor temperatures were investigated in summer and winter, for the given plant technology. In summary it can be well stated that the required threshold of the ambient air temperatures of 22 ° C in winter and 26 ° C in summer will be satisfied during the entire operating period. The fluid dynamic simulation to the atrium showed that condensation will occur in winter in a vulnerable area of the atrium roof.

Hereby a little more than 200 hours of condensation hours were reported and recommended the following actions:

  1. targeted heating of the atrium roof in winter with warm, dry air or by directional lighting from below, possibly with infrared radiators.
  2. Improvement to the thermal protection for the glazing of the atrium roof.

With the dynamic plant simulation, the planned ventilating and air conditioning systems were simulated and the design of the components had been optimised. The extent and the time required to cool, heat and power the building were determined. These values formed the basis for the assessment of the annual energy consumption of electric power and district heating.

Optimised Thermal Insulation Certificate

The proof of thermal insulation for the building was created with the optimised and precise material data through simulation.

Services by ifes:

  • Thermal building simulation to determine the heating and cooling loads in the offices and atrium and for the design of heating and cooling systems and air conditioning systems
  • 3D flow simulation for determining the air flow in the atrium and to avoid drafts
  • Review of the plant and energy concept for the building and constructional engineering
  • Construction monitoring during the implementation of the energy and climate concept
  • Construction physical consultancy and supervision to the realisation of the glass roof of the atrium
  • Thermal bridge analysis and assessment of condensation behavior of the glass roof of the atrium
  • Creation of the thermal insulation certificate according to WschVO 95
  • Advice and support to the general contractor in the construction of the building

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