A new benchmark for low-energy collections storage
We're delighted to be part of the team, led by mstep, developing a new benchmark for low-energy collections storage for Paris Musées.
Paris Musées manages the City of Paris’s 14 museums and cares for a vast collection of nearly one million artworks. To support and safeguard these collections, a new storage facility is required. The ambition is clear: to create an exceptionally energy-efficient art storage building.
A recently completed feasibility study, led by mstep in collaboration with Cagni Williams, Samuely, Genius Energy Lab, and Gleeds, has established a strong foundation for the project.
The design is driven by building physics analysis undertaken by mstep building services engineers, reducing energy demand while maintaining the stable conditions essential for conservation. A key precedent is the Danish Museum Academy (Museernes Grønne Akademi), which demonstrates how carefully considered building parameters can passively regulate temperature and humidity, improving the long-term preservation of artworks.
A highly insulated building envelope helps stabilise the internal environment, while an uninsulated ground slab acts as a thermal buffer, moderating seasonal temperature fluctuations and maintaining consistent conditions throughout the year.
Where active conditioning is required, the strategy incorporates ground-source heat pumps to provide low-energy heating and cooling, ensuring stable environmental conditions with minimal energy consumption.
The building concept is both simple and efficient. A cruciform plan is organised around a central spine, flanked by two primary circulation routes. All principal spaces extend from this core, while support functions are accommodated within the spine itself. This arrangement creates a clear separation between collections, staff, and logistics operations.
Project Team
- MEP and Building Physics: mstep (Project Lead)
- Architects: Cagni Williams
- Structural Engineers: Samuely
- Ground Source Engineers: Genius Energy Lab
- Cost Consultant: Gleeds
Together, the team is developing a new benchmark for low-energy museum storage—one that combines exemplary conservation standards with a significantly reduced environmental footprint.
