The 11-story building in Arenastaden Solna, outside Stockholm, is nearly finished. With 2,500 square meters of solar panels covering its roof, House of Choice is set to become Scandinavia’s first zero-energy hotel.

SAPA, a Hydro building systems brand, was chosen as solution provider for the hotel’s façade and roof, with metal builders Alab and GlasLindberg. Fabege AB has served as project owner.

Delivering sustainable building solutions

Because low-energy buildings require high thermal walls and a glazing solution that optimize solar gain, the glazed façade SAPA 4150 was chosen for House of Choice. Similarly, SAPA 5050, which consists of insulated 50mm-wide aluminium profiles provides good insulation and support, was selected for the roof.

“In addition, using recycled aluminium for these solutions substantially lowers the carbon footprint of the material, and makes Hydro CIRCAL a perfect match for this hotel and its eco-friendly ambitions,” says Henri Gomez, who leads Hydro Building Systems.

The aluminium alloy Hydro CIRCAL is made with a minimum of 75% recycled, post-consumer aluminium scrap. More than 100 large building projects are underway with the low-carbon alloy, and several interesting projects are already in the 2021 pipeline.

Industry prioritizing circular solutions

Constructing sustainable buildings continues to be a priority for the building industry, particularly because the industry has so much to gain – and because its impact can be so significant. Buildings represent 39% of the planet’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to the International Energy Agency.

Taking this into account, White Arkitekter, which designed House of Choice, worked to reduce to a minimum the use of material and to ensure using the right materials in the right places, such as recycled aluminium in the facade.

Having a compact building volume with a dense façade also has helped reduce the energy requirements of the hotel, with the façade lowering the need for heat and lowering solar radiation for reduced cooling needs. “The architecture reflects visible and tangible sustainability,” says architect Raimo Joss of White Arkitekter.

Says Gomez: “House of Choice can set a standard for how to create smart and sustainable buildings. It shows what can be achieved when forward-leaning companies collaborate and combine forces.”