VasiliauskasPage has completed its 8-floor, 22-apartment building called "Zenitas" ("Zenith" in English), which is located in the center of Kaunas at the address of 11a Spaustuvininkų Street. It is the first multi-flat building in the center of Kaunas to receive an A-class energy-efficiency rating.
In designing Zenitas, VasiliauskasPage used the experience gained in the construction of some of the most energy-efficient homes in Kaunas in the Sanciai and Marvele regions. The new multi-flat building is situated in the center of Lithuania's second-largest city. A few minutes walk bring you to the Zalgiris sports and concert arena, the park on Nemunas Island, and the Akropolis shopping mall. The buidling is also a half block to Laisvas Aleja, the cobblestoned walkway closed to cars and lined with cafes, restaurants, and theaters.
The Zenitas building's exterior walls are constructed from bricks, with a foundation of monolithic reinforced concrete, which gives the building strength, sound installation, and thermal stability with constant comfortable indoor temperature and humidity levels. The walls are insulated with 25-centimeters of Neopor, the roof with 40 centimeters, and the windows are triple-glazed for thermal retention.
Each apartment is equipped with an autonomous ventilation ductwork system with programmable control. These are the "lungs" of the building, ensuring clean and fresh air; Hot water and towel dryers are heated from solar panels, reducing the cost by 60-70 percent for hot water and heat; Each apartment features an autonomous heating system with individually metered appliances.
With the windows' orientation south, east and west, spaces are heated by the sun and filled with light. Solar radiation through the windows of the building generates 17,000 kw / h of free heat on the southern exposure. The extreme insulation and high-tech ventilation system has been designed to keep individual heating energy consumption of 20 kWh / sq m per year. For example, a 45 sq m apartment would require 900 kWh per year.
Zenitas was designed by a highly sophisticated and qualified team of architects and engineers. Construction was carefully monitored to ensure the quality of experienced contractors and VasiliauskasPage utilized a two-tier system of quality control.
The Zenitas building is set back from the busy and noisy streets in the center. The northern facade, which has no windows to limit heat loss on the shady side. The southern facade features many windows facing towards the Nemunas River and with protection from the car noise from King Mindaugas Street.
"Zenitas" stands out for its architecture, which is not only attractive but also environmentally friendly, and developed in accordance with the principles of solar architecture. The building takes maximum advantage of solar energy to lower home energy costs. This sophisticated house was designed by the architecture and engineering team of "Dviejų grupė", UAB "Ribinis būvis", UAB "Gilius ir Ko." Architect Gintaras Balčytis was the lead designer of the building. The apartments of Zenith offer the most warmth of all housing in Kaunas.