London 2012 Velodrome

London,UK

The design concept for the building sought to recreate the efficiency of the bicycle in its engineering design, not through mimicry, but by eliminating all but the essential.

One of the key challenges posed to the engineering of systems and environmental performance of the London 2012 Velodrome was to contribute to the design of the fastest track in the world providing stable and slightly higher temperatures for the cyclists, whilst keeping spectators comfortable throughout the year.

Both passive and active systems had to meet strict environmental conditions required by the cyclists, considering the requirement of high temperatures (24-28 °C) to go faster on the track to achieve record breaking times.

To comply with these purposes, our strategy to design a heating system composed of three main elements: underfloor heating in the infield providing background heating for most of the time; under seat heated air supply providing extra heating and fresh air; and jetted heated air supply to allow quick conditioning of the arena.

All parts of the ventilation systems are integrated into the void below the elevated seating area, minimising duct runs and using the space as both mechanical and natural ventilation plenum, with the main arena fully naturally ventilated in mid-season and summer. Inlets and outlets are seamlessly integrated into the building façades which in combination with exposed thermal mass in strategic locations allow passive cooling of the building in the warm season.

Rooflights in the main arena were optimized to provide sufficient daylight for training for most of the year. Special diffusing glass was used to prevent patches of sunlight on the track and to give an internal high level of diffuse light.

Energy efficient artificial lighting linked to an intelligent control system can be used to provide elevated lighting levels for major events.

The assessment of the overall energy performance of the building showed results that surpass the target set out by the ODA, reaching a 30% reduction in carbon emissions in relation to Part L 2006.