Titan and Odyssey, green buildings

Designed by JAG Architecture and Cottalorda & Peres, Titan is the first high environmental quality building at Europe’s spaceport. With the framework and floors made of local solid ribbed timber, rainwater harvesting systems and a solar power plant, this is a high-quality building in terms of materials and energy. 

Titan will serve as a showcase and model for the refurbishment and modernisation of Europe’s spaceport.

Located next to Launch Centre No. 3, the brain of the Ariane 5 launch system, Odyssey is home to the teams from the French space agency's Space Transportation Directorate (DTS) in French Guiana. Designed by the Amarante architecture firm and the Ground Sub-Directorate of the DTS, it is located in the middle of a savannah typical of the French Guiana coastline, a sensitive natural area. Adapted to the local climate, the building features very wide roof overhangs, innovative windows and sunshades, and a patio planted with greenery.

French Guianese wood, often with a density of over 1 g/cm3, can store over a tonne of carbon per cubic metre. Titan's structure will use 230 m3 of local wood, which will store 250 tonnes of CO2 and limit greenhouse gas emissions and grey energy.

The façade of the Odyssey building is made of wood shingles from the bootlace tree (known as Wapa in French Guiana). Aesthetically pleasing and maintenance-free, they have the advantage of lasting for decades. The structural posts are made of solid wood from French Guiana (green ebony, balatá or red Saint-Martin).

Favouring local resources also encourages construction with a low environmental impact (less transport, less energy consumption, etc.). 

The Odyssey building was designed with energy efficiency in mind. 188 solar power panels covering an area of 306 m² provide an annual production of 73 MWh. This solar production covers 100% of the building's current consumption of 15 kW (64 MWh per year).

This power station provides Odyssey with autonomous, entirely renewable energy production for all uses! The plant's production margin is used to charge electric vehicles. The savings in electricity costs and reduced maintenance costs will pay off the investment in this new building in around 10 years.

235 m² of solar power panels have been installed on the roof, i.e. 144 units of 1.62 m² each with a power output of 43.2 kWp: Titan produces its own energy and the surplus is injected back into the base's grid.

A 300-litre solar water heater completes the environmental quality approach. Chilled water is connected to the Technical Centre's network, where air conditioning and ventilation are managed centrally.