Sustainable childcare institution

The preschool childcare institution Rådyret in Støvring in northern Jutland is an excellent example of how beautiful, sustainable and functional architecture for children can be realised through ambition and collaboration.

In a new residential area in Støvring south of Aalborg, the childcare institution Rådyret has opened its doors to children aged between six months and six years. The layout is organised along a central corridor with communal rooms and rooms for the various groups of children along the south-facing facade.

The building has been constructed using cross-laminated timber elements, with vertical wood cladding on the facades. The roof is designed so that daylight from the skylights filters through to the rooms via the corridor, supplementing the daylight from the south-facing windows.

The acoustics have been a key priority throughout the project, and the sloping surfaces and slanting angles in many of the rooms are integral to the acoustic design. Troldtekt acoustic panels on the ceilings help to meet the high acoustic requirements, while also contributing positively to the DGNB certification criteria.

Sustainability incorporated from the outset

Gitte Gylling H. Olesen has been closely involved in all aspects of the project as DGNB auditor and chief sustainability specialist at Ramboll. She says: “Our cooperation with the main contractor and the client has been excellent, which has made it possible to achieve DGNB Gold certification. Moreover, Ramboll has acted as consulting architect and engineer, allowing our sustainability team to play a natural role in the integrated design process.”

To achieve DGNB Gold certification, the most energy-efficient and certified materials have been chosen within the budgetary framework. As the performance of the building in use is also assessed, efforts are made to minimise maintenance requirements and thus the operating economy.