Net Zero Co2urt in St. Louis, Mo., is a four-story office building with two 300-ft.-long office bars oriented on an east-west axis. The office bars are connected by two 60-ft.-long links that enclose a courtyard. About 52,000 sq. ft. of photovoltaic panels are spread across the roofs of the office buildings and parking garage, as well as integrated into the south-facing shading devices.
The 170,735-sq.-ft Net Zero Co2urt is a new prototype for reasonably priced, readily constructible and marketable zero carbon emissions office buildings.
The entire surface of the southern facade, which includes photovoltaic panels integrated into the shading devices and solar thermal collectors used to heat water, serves a purpose. Cisterns collect rain water that is used to irrigate tenant food gardens.
The interior courtyard features a green wall and small punched windows that bring exactly the right amount of light into the link connecting the two office bars. Trees are sized to preserve access to natural light.
[Run Gallery Manager]
