SALESFORCE TOWER (UNITED STATES): This 61-floor skyscraper in San Francisco has so far obtained LEED Platinum pre-certification, with energy consumption 30% below the Californian standard. Underfloor air distribution, outdoor-air economizers, and a high-performance façade combining low-emissivity glazing and sunshades: together, these features provide 15,000 occupants with optimized thermal and visual comfort in a building that uses less energy than a standard office block. Comfort in a building is based on four main factors: air quality, natural light, acoustics, and temperature. These aspects directly impact our health, concentration, and well-being on a daily basis. Solutions exist to meet these basic needs: high-performance thermal and acoustic insulation, which drastically reduces energy consumption, limits CO2 emissions, and conserves natural resources. Quality of life and environmental performance are two sides of the same coin. An ideal building offers much more than just shelter: it provides clean air, a comfortable temperature, controlled acoustics, and plentiful natural light. This level of comfort is not a luxury: it meets basic physiological needs and directly influences our health, concentration, and well-being on a daily basis. SPOTLIGHT Quality of life and the environment: the same battle WHEN EVERYTHING COMES TOGETHER Four parameters work simultaneously to reduce a building’s carbon footprint, conserve natural resources, and improve the well-being of its occupants. Take ventilation, for example. An effective system regulates CO2 and removes volatile pollutants: less fatigue and fewer headaches for occupants. But the dualflow version of the same ventilation system recovers up to 90% of the heat from the extracted air, reduces heating requirements by 25% to 45%, and limits CO2 emissions by the same amount. The orientation of the building and the size of the windows also play a dual role. They influence circadian rhythms, sleep, and mood, while reducing artificial lighting by 40% to 60% with a corresponding reduction in the electricity bill. The envelope of the building also contributes, by reducing outside noise. It makes it easier to concentrate and reduces stress. This same envelope, with reinforced insulation and airtightness, also blocks heat loss and thus plays a decisive role in terms of energy efficiency: walls and façades alone account for nearly one-third of a building’s heat loss. And the insulating materials used are becoming increasingly sustainable: reduced carbon footprint, recycled or bio-based content, reduced emissions of volatile organic compounds, etc. 23 22
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