Haga Norra Kvarter 1

Sweden

A Blueprint for sustainable workspaces: Haga Norra Kvarter 1

The Haga Norra district in Stockholm represents a new vision for urban development, blending modern architecture with a strong focus on sustainability. At its heart lies Haga Norra Kvarter 1, a landmark office building that was awarded “BREEAM Building of the Year” in 2023, where smart lighting control played a significant role. This project is proof of what we can achieve when we pair real environmental responsibility with technology designed for people.

A powerful example of this commitment is the building’s exterior. Kvarter 1 features the largest facade in Sweden made from recycled bricks. The bricks, which are over 50 years old and originally from Denmark, give the building a unique character and a sense of timelessness. This focus on circularity and reuse was a core principle for the development, with the goal of significantly reducing the project’s CO2 footprint.

The challenge

The vision for Haga Norra Kvarter 1 was to create a modern, flexible, and sustainable workspace that could adapt to the diverse needs of its tenants. Fabege, the property developer, aimed for the highest level of BREEAM certification—”Outstanding”—which required an exceptional approach to energy efficiency and environmental impact. The building needed a lighting control system that could:

• Maximise energy savings: The system had to go beyond basic on/off controls to achieve significant reductions in energy consumption, a key factor for BREEAM certification.

• Enhance occupant wellbeing: Lighting had to be smart enough to create different atmospheres in various spaces, supporting a productive and comfortable environment for employees.

• Provide granular control: The system needed to offer highly detailed zoning, especially in the open-plan office areas, to ensure lighting was only used where and when it was needed without impacting the overall work environment.

The solution: Intelligent lighting from Helvar

A full Helvar lighting control system was selected to meet the project’s requirements. The system’s core functionality is driven by a sophisticated strategy of presence/absence detection, time channels, and “light over time” programming. This provides precise, automated control that ensures lighting is always optimised for both energy efficiency and occupant comfort.

The key to the solution lies in the intelligent zoning of the open-plan office spaces. By dividing large areas into many smaller zones, the Helvar system ensures that lighting is controlled with extreme precision. The system automatically adjusts lighting levels based on occupancy, providing just enough light for the people in a specific zone while keeping surrounding areas at a low-level setting. This approach drastically reduces energy use without compromising the quality of the workspace.

Key Helvar products deployed in this project include:

• Helvar 950: An intelligent DALI-2 application controller that serves as the brain of the system, managing all connected devices.

• Helvar 320D2 and 321D2 sensors: These dual-channel sensors detect both presence and absence, providing the data needed for the system’s automated control.

• Helvar 492: A DALI relay unit for controlling non-dimmable loads.

• Helvar 136WD2: A control panel that allows manual override and scene selection, putting control in the hands of the end-user.

• Helvar 342 acoustic sensor: This sensor is ideal for enclosed spaces such as stairwells, etc.

The Result

Haga Norra Kvarter 1 is a shining example of sustainable, BREEAM-certified design. The Helvar lighting control system played a vital role in this success, contributing to a building that is not only highly energy-efficient but also a pleasant and productive place to work. The intelligent control based on presence/absence and precise zoning ensures that the building operates at peak efficiency, living up to its reputation as a leader in sustainable development.

This project’s success is a testament to its commitment to sustainability, having been recognised as the “BREEAM Building of the Year” in 2023 at the Sweden Green Building Awards.

Key facts

Project: Haga Norra Kvarter 1

Project location: Solna, Sweden

 Building Owner: Fabege

Electrical consultant: Granlund

Installer: Nymans Elektriska 

Sweden

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