Restoration of the Lycée Sophie Germain

Restoration and improvement of the energy performance of the Lycée Sophie Germain, as part of the Marais PSMV (occupied site).

The aim of the Lycée Sophie Germain project was to restore and improve the energy efficiency of a heterogeneous heritage complex located in the Marais district of Paris. Given their different periods and construction techniques, the four buildings were studied separately, in order to determine an appropriate diagnosis for each. However, they all form part of an important and significant heritage complex, both in terms of the history of the school itself and of the area as a whole, and in terms of the development of education in France.

We therefore envisage a solution for each building, in response to the client's request to maintain the facades and replace the joinery, without losing sight of the unity of the whole.

We extended the diagnostic phase beyond the request, considering that certain aspects had to be considered at the same time, such as ventilation and the state of the roofs. Any insulation operation must be accompanied by a study of ventilation. The thermal balance we present shows, for all buildings, a considerable improvement in energy performance brought about by thermal insulation when ventilation is added.

This firstly regulates the temperature inside the building, avoiding highs and lows, secondly improves comfort and thirdly establishes an average between outside and inside temperatures when the building is better insulated (for example, avoiding it being cold inside when it's mild outside, or hot inside when it's cold outside).