Trentino Trasporti

This building represents the evolution from the traditional bus/train depot, to a completely sustainable construction. LEED rating system was used as a tool to facilitate a synergy between architecture and energy systems.
The external previously developed areas were occupied by an abandoned factory: the project was oriented to restore a portion of landscape, including a vegetated parking as well. The use of local vegetation allows to avoid irrigation.
Although the building is located into a Valley, many connection with public transportations are available, including the local train stop: this makes possibile to easily reach the city of Croviana. Alternative transportations are also promoted by means of the installation of bike rack and some LE-FE/carpooling parking inside the project boundary.
Environmental-friendly strategies for building design includes high-efficiency plumbing fixtures, high efficiency lighting systems with DALI control, individual thermal comfort control.
The building energy systems and plants were designed to achieve high performances in terms of energy saving and indoor environmental quality. The HVAC system is based on two heat pumps (137 kWt each, 100% load each) coupled with geothermal field (5000 m piping, 100 m depth). The field is used also during the summer season with free-cooling strategy: also if it is not strictly necessary since local climate is acceptable, free-cooling allows to control temperature inside spaces with very low energy consumption and at the same time to extend life-cycle of the field with drift temperature control.
Thermal energy for DHW is generated by heat pumps in de-overheating function, allowing minimization of energy consumption.
The heat pumps are coupled to an on-demand ventilation system with efficient heat recovery appliance, regulated by environmental sensors (CO, CO2 and explosive gas) and local alarms and radiant panels and fan-coils (on staff space only, preferred due to fastest reply to internal and external heat load change). The two-speed AHU system is also used in bus depot and bus repair shop for smoke evacuation.
Additionally, 100% of electricity is from green sources and a 200 kW peak photovoltaic field, located on the roof of the building, completes the energy system.
The whole system is managed by a BMS system (Building Management System) able to work both from remote and locally, to manage external and internal lighting systems, along with thermal conditions of occupied spaces.
Also during construction phase sustainability was seriously taken into account by selecting regional materials and FSC certified wood, low VOC materials, antibacterial tiles. Furhtermore a strict waste construction material plan was implemented