World’s greenest officially opened

THE most energy efficient office block in the world opens today in Dijon.

The €7 million Elithis Tower is fitted with 1,600 solar panels and will be open to scientists, researchers and universities who will closely monitor its energy consumption and production.

The ten-storey building includes a technical floor and ground floor restaurant and has been designed as a “positive energy building” – meaning it produces more energy that it consumes.

Those behinds its construction say the “next generation building” will prove it is “possible to build an attractive, clean and energy efficient building for the same costs as traditional buildings.”

The Elithis Tower is said to give off CO2 emissions six times lower than traditional buildings.

Energy-saving features include a solar powered battery integrated into the roof supplying 82,000kwh of electricity a year.

All offices inside the tower will have natural light, limiting the use of artificial lighting.

A display at the foot of the building will show the daily energy consumptions and the savings made.

Director general of Elithis Thierry Bièvre said: “The pioneering adventure of the Elithis Tower has only just begun. Its role is to be a model, not only of established progress, but also of new challenges to be met.”

The opening of the tower coincides with the week of sustainable development which began yesterday.