Granlund designs building services for the new Panda House of Ähtäri Zoo in Finland, which will be opened in February 2018. The giant pandas will arrive to the zoo from China in January.
Building services play an important role in the project as the aim is to create an authentic habitat for the pandas. “The focus in the building service design is first and foremost on animal comfort and wellbeing. The facilities will be designed to be energy efficient through ecological solutions. Also visitor experience is an important element,” says Vikke Niskanen who is the project manager in charge of building services.
Granlund Manager will be used as the facility management software of the Panda House. The indoor conditions will be strictly defined and followed. The aim is to define the moist and temperature of the panda house as close as possible to the natural habitat of the pandas. Also the lighting system can be changed in various modes to create different atmospheres. The indoor conditions will be followed and analyzed daily, and can be easily changed by the needs of the pandas.
The Panda House project is part of Ähtäri Zoo’s long-term Master Plan 2030 development programme that, for instance, strengthens Ähtäri Zoo’s internationally recognised efforts to preserve endangered species and continues the development work to make Ähtäri Zoo the leading nature and family travel destination. Approximately 50 giant pandas live outside China. The reason for placing pandas in zoos is to conserve the endangered species in all types of habitats. Chinese and Finnish experts have collaborated for long now to protect the natural forest habitat of giant pandas.
Further information of the Panda House: www.pandaportal.fi
Picture: Ähtäri Zoo
