BOLD Amsterdam is smart and sustainable

Smart facades set new standard

BOLD is the name of the freshly erected residential tower, which at nearly 80 meters high enriches the Amsterdam skyline. A name that honors the building on several fronts. The building is a statement, with a powerful, high-tech appearance. That's just talking about the black velvet exterior. The technology incorporated in the building is state-of-the-art and makes the building comfortable and sustainable. Some of that technology is incorporated in the windows, supplied by Facédo. Technical director Daniël Nijboer of Facédo gives us a glimpse into the building world of tomorrow.

Involved from the building shell

"We are involved as a company from the structural work on up," says Nijboer. "After the concrete was poured, we could get to work right away. We worked behind the concrete pour, like a corkscrew up. It was a full-time assembly process, a huge challenge to get that done in the middle of corona time and lockdown. However, with flexibility and creativity, it worked out well."

At BOLD, Facédo supplied HSB elements, structural frames, flashings, insulation material for the concrete facade sections, frames with special functionality and ditto glazing. "Just to mention a few numbers: we are talking about 12,000 m2 of frame structures, sliding doors and curtain walls, 4,000 m1 of set frames, 1,200 HSB elements, 6,100 m2 of glazing, 12,500 m1 of absorption profile for the PV panels, 4,200 m2 of PV panels, glass balcony screens, EPDM connections and seals," Nijboer lists.

Smart and PowerWindows

Smart and PowerWindows were used in the work. Nijboer: "The PowerWindows by PHYSEE Technologies incorporate PV panels that generate electricity and transmit it to USB connectors located on the inside of the window frame. The SmartWindows (Pilkington) measure solar intensity and transmit the data to the climate control system. Conducting the necessary cabling inside was also carried out by Facédo. This progressive technology helps to achieve a negative EPC value."

A facade of solar panels

The vertical facade incorporates no less than 4,200 m2 of solar panels. The inclusion profiles for these PV panels were designed by Facédo itself. "We installed these profiles with thermal breakers to eliminate the thermal bridge. The mounting anchors and screw materials were also tailored to the situation, made of stainless steel, more compact and meeting the EPC standard. The number of mounting points has been precisely calculated, so as not to drill too much into the facade. Everything has of course been tested theoretically and practically by Facédo."

The window frames produced by Facédo have as their base the Reynaers CS77 profile. "For the loggias and sliding doors we used Reynaers' CP130 profiles and for the curtain walls we used the CW50 series. It is quite an achievement to achieve this as a team, to achieve the standardization. Nothing was left to chance," says Nijboer. BOLD comprises a total of 143 apartments in the residential tower, 203 student apartments in the adjacent low-rise and various commercial facilities in the plinth of the building.