Sparkling EDF National Archive Building Boasts a Beautiful High-Performance Facade

Électricité de France (EDF) has been providing electricity since 1946 so they have a lot of paperwork to store - thus they built themselves a sparkly <a href="http://inhabitat.com/facebook-shares-multimillion-dollar-specs-behind-its-new-energy-efficient-data-center/">data storage facility</a> in the country outside of Bure. The EDF National Archives, designed by <a href="http://www.lan-paris.com/project-edf-archives-centre.html" target="_blank">LAN Architects</a>, is a simple volume with a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/unstudio-completes-new-eea-tax-offices-clad-in-undulating-white-fins/">high performance facade</a> designed to minimize energy use. The facility also takes advantage of renewable energy and features an <a href="http://inhabitat.com/wastewater-treatment-plant-in-san-francisco-is-a-gorgeous-indoor-wetland/" target="_blank">on-site waste water treatment</a> system.

The 6,800 square meter, 5-story, <a href="http://inhabitat.com/stockholms-undulating-waterfront-centre-is-a-transforming-low-energy-venue/">low-energy facility</a> has 70 km of storage shelves and was designed to integrate into the landscape while meeting EDF's stringent environmental standards.

The interior of the archives is humidity controlled and fire resistant.

Shiny steel studs are embedded into the earth-colored concrete facade as a way of blurring the building's boundaries and reflecting the color of the changing seasons.

<a href="http://inhabitat.com/700-year-old-italian-farmhouse-renovated-with-delicate-filigree-screening/">Perforated screens</a> cover entrances and patios to provide shade to the interior of the building.

Meanwhile, two layers of concrete (structure and facade) plus 30 cm-thick walls provide high-performance insulation to reduce cooling loads inside.

There is no on-site connection to sewage at the facility's countryside location, so a low-cost natural wastewater system was installed to treat sewage, greywater, and <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/rainwater">rainwater</a>.

Completely integrated into the landscape, the wastewater system efficiently eliminates nitrogen (70%), phosphorus (60%) and pathogens.

A double-flow ventilation system with heat recuperation as well as <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/green-lighting">energy-efficient lighting</a> and a heat pump system further reduce energy usage down to 29 kWh/sq m.

Renewable energy systems (of an undisclosed nature) supply power back to the building.

The building was also flexibly designed so that if more space was needed an extra wing could easily be integrated on one side.

The structure was designed to be lightweight, even though it is solidly anchored into the ground and sturdily built.

The steel studs reflect both the changing of the seasons as well as the day.

Floor plan of the first floor.