SCHOOL OF DESIGN AND ENVIRONMENT 4

Singapore


LBC 3.1


  • vital stats
  • project team
  • performance
  • SUSTAINABLE DESIGN FEATURES
  • BUILDING OPTIMIZATION
  • RENEWABLE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS INFORMATION
  • ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The School of Design and Environment 4 (SDE4) is an inventive educational piece of architecture developed by the School of Design and Environment at the National University of Singapore, the institutional organization that promotes design, sustainability and education in South East Asia. SDE4 is the first new-build net-zero energy building in Singapore and it is designed as a 8,588 square-meter, six-story, multi-disciplinary space by Serie + Multiply Architects with Surbana Jurong. Located on a hillock along Clementi Road near the southern coastline of Singapore, SDE4 is a new addition to the Design & Environment precinct and it is part of a larger campus redevelopment. The climate-responsive building includes more than 1,500 square meters of design studio space, a 500 square-meter open plaza; a wide variety of public and social spaces; workshops and research centers; a new cafe and a library.

vital stats

Certification StatusZero Energy Certified
Version of LBC3.1
LocationSingapore
TypologyBuilding
Project Area8,588 square meters
Start of OccupancyJanuary 2019
Owner OccupiedYes
Occupancy TypeHigher Education Instructional Building and Visitor Center
Number of Occupants600

Courtesy of School of Design and Environment and Serie Architects. Photography by Rory Gardiner.

project team

OwnerNational University of Singapore
Project ManagerOffice of Estate Development University Campus Infrastructure
ContractorKajima Overseas Asia Pte Ltd (KOA)
ArchitectSerie + Multiply Consultants Pte. Ltd & Surbana Jurong
Mechanical and ElectricalSurbana Jurong
Civil and StructuralSurbana Jurong
LandscapeSurbana Jurong
Energy and Sustainable DesignSurbana Jurong
Quantity SurveyorSurbana Jurong
Energy and Climate ConsultantTranssolar Energietechnik GMBH

Courtesy of School of Design and Environment and Serie Architects. Photography by Rory Gardiner.

performance

Actual energy use during performance period470,750 kWh
Actual energy produced during performance period619,345 kWh
Net Energy Use-148,595 kWh
EUI17.55 kBTU/sf/yr

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN FEATURES

The building consists of a range of sustainable design features that have been holistically integrated into its architecture to not only deliver user health and comfort in the tropical context, but also meticulously programmed to be highly energy efficient.

SDE4 upholds key tenets of tropical design in its climate-responsive architectural form and spatial layout optimized for natural ventilation interspersed with thermal buffers/social spaces and landscaped balconies. A large overhanging roof hosts more than 1200 photovoltaic (PV) panels to harness solar energy to meet the energy demands of the building.

Enclosed spaces feature an innovative hybrid cooling system, designed by Transsolar Klima Engineering, that supplies 100% fresh pre-cooled air, albeit at higher temperatures and humidity levels than in a conventional system, and augments this with an elevated air speed by ceiling fans.

Courtesy of School of Design and Environment and Serie Architects. Photography by Rory Gardiner.

BUILDING OPTIMIZATION

The net-positive energy outcome is a result of a collaborative effort by the School management and building users who have ensured a prudent consumption of energy all-year-round. A Building Management System that includes Occupancy Sensing Thermal Controls and IEQ Monitoring overseen by the School ensures that these trends in building occupancy and energy usage are monitored and studied for a continued and sustainable impact through the building life-span.

RENEWABLE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS INFORMATION

Panel Array Size428 kW
PV Output Per Capacity Nameplate345 W
Panel Quantity1225
PV Type and BrandSunpower X21 and X22
PV Inverter Quantity17
PV LocationRoof
PV Ownership DetailsNational University of Singapore

Courtesy of School of Design and Environment and Serie Architects. Photography by Rory Gardiner.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Prof Lam Khee Poh, Dean at the School of Design and Environment, says: “The fact that the building exceed its original energy targets chronicles an important milestone in SDE4’s Well and Green vision for environmental stewardship. We are now progressively expanding our sustainability targets from net-zero energy buildings to integrated zero carbon developments.”

Learn more about the project here: https://www.archdaily.com/912021/nus-school-of-design-and-environment-serie-architects-plus-multiply-architects-plus-surbana-jurong

Courtesy of School of Design and Environment and Serie Architects. Photography by Rory Gardiner.