If you are unable to read this newsletter, please click here

iGuzzini Headquarters

The iGuzzini HQ, designed by the architect Maurizio Varratta and by First Q’s Italian partner Manens Intertecnica, has achieved a 3,5 rating according to 'Protocollo SBC', the Italian environmental sustainability certification system. This is the highest score ever registered in Italy for an office building. The project is characterized by the carefully planned configuration of its building envelope, to which Manens contributed with detailed façade studies. In-depth research was conducted to minimize the consumption of resources and CO2 emissions, including the use of dynamic thermal energy simulations and the detailed design of the internal visual comfort, through advanced natural lighting simulations.

Besides building physics, environmental sustainability and certification with SBC method, Manens was also commissioned with Preliminary, intermediate, final design and site supervision all building services. The building is expected to be completed in 2010.

Tenerife is now on our offices map

Grupo JG has opened a new office in Tenerife, in the Canary Islands. The office is run by Javier Goiricelaya, an industrial engineer and LEED Accredited Professional, and operates since late 2008. The results of our permanent presence in Tenerife have already been felt, with the recent award of a mission for the design of the Centro Deportivo Los Abrigos.

Finland

First Q’s Finnish office Niemi & Co Oy continues to secure more design work, with emphasis on large housing projects that continue to flourish in Russian millionaire cities such as Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kazan. The newest housing project has started in the Urals, in the city of Yekaterinburg. Activity in Finland remains at a healthy level, and Niemi & Co has started several large renovation projects for shopping malls in Helsinki’s city center.

United Kingdom and Ireland Cooperate

First Q members from the UK (EDCM Consulting) and Ireland (Ethos Engineering) have collaborated to provide expert witness and site testing on a residential and a leisure project undertaken for South Dublin City Council.

Greece cooperates with Portugal for Sierra

The Athens and Thessalonica offices of Antem-Tebeka have participated in the energy audits performed to the Mediterranean Cosmos shopping centre, responding to the demands of Sierra’s exemplary environmental policy. The work was technically coordinated by our Lisbon office, as they have many years of experience in this field and specifically for this client. A similar mission has been initiated for the audit of Sierra’s offices in Athens.

Italy presents two green buildings at the World Sustainable Building Conference 2008 in Melbourne

First Q's Italian partner Manens Intertecnica has recently presented at the World Sustainable Building Conference 2008 in Melbourne, two of its most recent and emblematic projects: The Intesa Sanpaolo Tower in Turin by Renzo Piano Building Workshop and iGuzzini Headquarters in Recanati, Italy, by Maurizio Varratta (see this newsletter’s feature project). This action is part of a significant effort by Manens in the field of building physics, building certification and is representative of its active participation in Italy’s commitment efforts towards green building’s concept development and implementation.

Multiple-office Collaboration in the Netherlands

Our Dutch partner Smits van Burgst is cooperating with our Madrid office for the MEP design, site supervision and commissioning of a data centre in Amsterdam for Global Crossing. This unit, which is to be modularly extended, is hosted in a larger facility provided by Global Switch, where Smits van Burgst has been involved on several previous occasions, mainly on the start-up and commissioning phases of the mission-critical elements of the mechanical systems.

Tri-generation in Portugal

One of the largest shopping centers currently under construction in Europe, Dolce Vita Tejo, has been designed by our Portuguese partner LMSA. It includes a 6.4MWe tri-generation system based on two gas engines, 4MW of cooling capacity from four absorption chillers, and two open circuit cooling towers with a capacity of 5600 kW heat rejection each. The system operates on the following temperature regimes: 7/12ºC chilled water, 105/85ºC hot water and 29/38ºC cooling water. Significant energy savings are expected from this system, which will heavily contribute to the reduction and optimisation of operating costs over the life of the asset.

Sweden heads East

First Q’s Swedish company Sisu Stockholm has been very active in foreign markets, developing feasibility studies for advanced HVAC concepts for large buildings in South Korea, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait. Of special relevance is its involvement in the project for the LOTTE Super Tower, a massive 525m tall, 125 storeys building in Seoul. Work for the State Bank and a University campus in Kuwait are also of relevance for our Swedish partner.