Opposite Page : ‘ Seed ’ by Marco Cianfanelli is an artwork of nearly 35m suspended in the 45m high glass atrium , made of 229 plywood laser-cut panels representing various aspects of the continent of Africa
Standard Bank ’ s desire to find a balance between an effective working environment and reducing their carbon footprint has led to the implementation of pioneering technology such as the floor-to-ceiling triple glazed façades which provide spectacular 360 degree views of Johannesburg . Clear glass maximises the natural light projected into the deep space , but there is of course a downside to such extensive exposure . A ‘ responsive ’ unitised façade system was developed over 12 months in collaboration with German experts to control heat , glare and sunlight . A single outer skin and double-glazed inner panel envelops a sealed air-conditioned cavity . Motorised custom-designed aluminium blinds housed within the cavity have a dual purpose of harvesting light by reflecting it into the space whilst protecting it from direct sunlight . The blinds respond automatically to the external illumination and climate conditions via sensors tracking the sun .
The building generates a portion of its own on-site electricity from the Egoli gas main adjacent to the property via a gas Tri- Generation plant in the basement . This is also known as CCHP ( combined cooling , heating and power generation ) and produces heating , cooling and electrical energy simultaneously from a single source . Natural gas has the huge advantage of significantly lower carbon emissions and the rejected heat produced in the process is captured by an absorption chiller which converts this energy into either heating or cooling for use in the airconditioning system . The plant ’ s current one megawatt capacity can be expanded in future to potentially supply surplus power back into the national grid .
Other energy saving devices used include a DALI or digitally addressable lighting system for the automated switching and dimming of lights , as the high quality and quantity of natural light demands a much lower degree of artificial lighting for the most of the day . This allows individual lights to be programmed according to need and occupancy , resulting in a reduced lighting power density of below 2,5W / m 2 per 100 Lux . All the internal and external lighting has been designed to minimise night time light pollution by avoiding direct light beams pointing into the sky and keeping the Lux levels to the absolute minimum required for safety and security .
In the main atrium the primary vertical circulation by means of multiple escalators is the
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