Sino-Italian Ecological and Energy Efficient Building / Mario Cucinella Architects

Architects: Mario Cucinella Architects
Location: 30 Shuangqing Rd, Haidian Qu, Beijing Shi, China
Project Leader: Federico Butera
Design Team: Mario Cucinella, Elisabeth Francis, Giulio Altieri (site architect), Natalino Roveri (model maker)
Area: 20000.0 m2
Project Year: 2006
Photographs: Daniele Domenicali

Engineering : Favero & Milan Ingegneria – Ing. Sandro Favero, Ing. Federico Zaggia, Ing. Giampaolo Lenarduzzi, Ing. Luca Nicolini. China Architecture Design & Research Group
Construction Management : Impregilo
Client: Italian Ministry for Environment and Territory. Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China

From the architect. Born out from a joint venture between the Italian and Chinese Governments, SIEEB was built on the campus of Tsinghua University, it occupies an area of 20,000 m2 and hosts the Sino-Italian centre of education, training and research for the protection of environment and energy conservation.

The building is designed as a ‘showcase’ for the potential for reducing CO2 emissions in China. The design integrates passive and active strategies to control the external environment in order to optimise internal environmental conditions.

The building is U shaped in plan around a central courtyard and on the ground floor public areas look into a landscaped garden. It is closed and well insulated on the northern side that faces the cold winter winds and open and transparent towards the south. Offices and laboratories on the upper floors have terraced gardens shaded by photovoltaic panels that produce energy for the building.