AECOM is working with SOM and Burckhardt and Partner architects to provide technical design and construction monitoring services for the United Nations (UN) office in Geneva, Switzerland. AECOM’s task is to deliver the MEP Design for the renovation of the main Palais des Nations complex of buildings, over 100,000m2, much of which dates back to the 1930s.
UN Photo/Violaine Martin
The design will be fully delivered in the 3D environment and the team is producing a BIM model for the existing building which introduces improved levels of efficiency into design, construction and operation of the Palais.
One of the objectives of the project is to upgrade the building’s systems, including power, cooling, security and IT to perform to current Swiss and global standards in health and safety, comfort, operability and energy consumption. Much of the sprawling, kilometre long building is considered global heritage. The replacement systems will have to be thoughtfully integrated into sensitive spaces and delicate building finishes.
Palais des Nations will be provided with miles of new cables, cooling pipework, state of the art controls systems and contemporary lighting. AECOM carried out extensive computational thermal modelling to establish comfort levels and energy performance of the newly introduced hybrid offices that enable agile working and allow the Palais to serve the needs of the globally mobile UN team more efficiently.
The overall energy consumption and carbon emissions of the entire complex will be substantially reduced by the building and systems upgrade.
Sasha Krstanovic, Director, Building Engineering, AECOM, said: “AECOM is proud to be involved with such an iconic project, bringing the UN’s Geneva office into the 21st century. We are particularly excited to be delivering a 3D model of the complex, which is unusual for such historic buildings.”
Renovation works to the Palais will be carried out with the site in full working mode and will be carefully phased to ensure business continuity. A focal point for multilateral diplomacy, the complex services more than 12,000 meetings every year, making it one of the busiest conference centres in the world.
UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré
