Intelligent building solutions at new bank HQ in iconic financial Belgian city.
International bank BNP Paribas Fortis has incorporated KNX intelligent building solutions from B.E.G. at its new headquarters in the heart of the European financial district in Brussels, Belgium, to reach its goals of becoming ‘greener’.
BNP Paribas Fortis selected B.E.G to deliver an intelligent building solution which would be appropriate for such a landmark building, and that will enable energy savings of up to 80%.
The design of the new office set out to embrace the “very latest in environmental and energy standards and achieve a genuine balance between ecological, economic, aesthetic, and social ideals”.
Around 4,500 workplaces were created across a total area of 100,000 sq m – 70% more than the previous building could accommodate.
Due to the size of BNP Paribas Fortis’s new building, networking of building components such as heating, air conditioning, blinds and lighting is mandatory in Europe, with huge potential for reducing energy costs and positively impacting the environment.
In the new building, B.E.G. used two models of occupancy sensor. Paul Jones, sales director of UK & Ireland at B.E.G. UK, said: “The B.E.G. multi-sensors detect movements and existing ambient light and react according to the time of day. In this way, it is possible to programme and plan lighting scenes for each area or a combination of areas. Illumination levels, blind positions and much more can be changed quickly.
“The KNX sensors selected can achieve very precise light measurements. This makes them particularly suitable for interiors with difficult lighting situations, such as the corridors and striking staircases of BNP Paribas Fortis, where, thanks to its eye-catching design, light enters from several window fronts at once.
“One of the most significant ways to ensure efficiency savings was the incorporation of presence detection sensors in cloakroom areas. Introducing sensors here can lead to energy savings as high as 80 per cent without any compromise on hygiene or comfort.
“For the required performance here, the building relies on a specific detector which ensures that light is activated in these rooms without any touch contact required, and only when people are present. After a defined follow-up time, the lighting switches off automatically.”
