Polytechnic school chooses Kebony wood to renovate several of its residential buildings
Palaiseau, France. It is here, in a natural setting, that a housing complex for the École Polytechnique de Paris is located. The world-renowned school wanted to renovate its buildings constructed between the 70s and 80s and improve their thermal performance. Kebony Clear cladding was selected for this project.
Housing renovation.
The École Polytechnique de Paris includes, among the buildings on its grounds, a housing complex located in the commune of Palaiseau, in Essonne. It was necessary to significantly improve its thermal performance.
The project took place over a period of one and a half years. It consisted of thermal insulation of the roof terraces, exterior wall insulation, as well as the replacement of exterior joinery with double-glazed frames and reinforced insulation. The program covered buildings No. 43, 44, 45, and 66, for a project spanning 9,300 m².
A challenge: combining low environmental impact and energy efficiency.
The project management company commissioned by École Polytechnique, looking for a material that was both durable and eco-responsible, had already worked with Kebony products. ” Our values lead us to develop our projects with a focus on the convergence of environmental impact reduction and energy efficiency. Wood is a sustainable material due to its carbon footprint, but also due to its longevity when properly implemented. The particularity of Kebony wood is that it guarantees a uniform appearance over time. The use of wood as cladding is therefore no longer an obstacle ,” states architect Wilfrid Turchet, from Atelier ATW.
Indeed, Kebony produces the most sustainable alternative to hardwood and helps the construction world reduce its CO2 emissions. The Norwegian brand’s patented process involves polymerizing the cell walls of sustainably sourced softwoods by heating them with a bio-based liquid. This is how it acquires all the qualities of tropical hardwood while remaining environmentally friendly. The resulting wood is durable and resistant. It requires no special maintenance and acquires an elegant silver patina over time.
Thus, Atelier ATW opted for radiata pine shadow gap cladding from the Kebony Clear range. This wood and its natural patina harmonize with the chosen plaster shades, close to the green and brown colors of nature, as well as with the simple lines of the buildings. These are set in a pleasant natural environment, a setting that enhances this renovation project.
This project won an award in the X-CSR Challenge in the “carbon footprint” category.