Dekanhuset

History

The building, called Dekanhuset, was given by the Bishop of Skara during his term of office as dean in Uppsala in the beginning of the 1300s to the Uppsala Free Deanery, now called diocese.

The building is believed to have been destroyed in 1447 by fire, but a new building was erected on the old foundation five years later by the archbishop at that time. In the mid-1700s the property was purchased by university treasurer, P. Julinskiöld. He rebuilt it to be the largest palatial residence in Uppsala. At the end of the 1700s, the property was transferred to Uppsala University where it was used as both an apartment building and school.

Today, elements from all epochs can be seen in Dekanhuset. A part of the cellar, from medieval times with its brick cross-vaults, is intact. Certain rooms still have interior decorations from the Julinskiöld Palace.The design of the facade and windows is from the early 1800s when the building was converted into a school. The formal hall with a double storey ceiling height is also from this time. The building is a state-owned listed building.

Renovation

When SFV´s tenant, the Faculty of Theology, moved out, a renovation was necessary. During an earlier renovation of the building, the old formal hall with a double storey ceiling height had been rebuilt as two stories. For this renovation it was decided to restore the double storey ceiling height of the formal hall.

Ventilation before the renovation

The ventilation was adapted to the church´s education premises, the Faculty of Theology. They had a mechanical supply and exhaust air unit that served the large teaching rooms. The small rooms had a poorly functioning stack ventilation.

Conditions for renovation of the ventilation system

SFV wanted to design the new ventilation system so that every floor could be able to be separated for different tenants if needed. When the formal hall was restored into its original double storey ceiling height, this resulted, however, in floors 3 and 4 becoming one fire compartment.

It was also important that the new ventilation system should be modern and adapted to the building for preserving its unique character. Holes that were already made in the walls for the old mechanical ventilation system could be reused when installing the new system.

Conservation principles

The building´s medieval cellar, exterior, frame, room layout and purpose-built interior decorations are protected by the protection orders and must be left untouched to the greatest extent possible. Unavoidable holes have therefore, to the extent possible, been located to existing or previously filled holes.

All installations have been carried out in such a way that they are reversible and easy to maintain and replace. A large new opening was required in the joisted floors for the installation of a lift. At that time, a services shaft was constructed adjacent to the lift beside the stairway in the newest part of the building. Consequently, all the room volumes remained unaltered.

Ventilation after the renovation

A mechanical supply and exhaust air system with heat recovery, which was adapted as much as possible to the building, was chosen. Water batteries in the exhaust air unit in the attic recover the heat in the exhaust air.

The heated water is distributed via the services shaft to the supply air unit in the cellar. The supply air can also be cooled when needed by the use of groundwater. During summer the fabric of the building is cooled by night ventilation, i.e. night cooling. Fan coolers are located in several areas in the building and are placed in purpose-built benches or covers designed to look like tiled stoves.

Supply air

The space under the building consists of three parts. There is the original cellar from medieval times with cross-vaults that cannot be altered. Then there is an 18th century cellar that has been used as a heating plant room for some time. Between these there is an unexcavated area.

A new supply air unit has been located in the 18th century cellar. The outside air comes from a newly built air inlet outside the building at ground level. The unit can distribute pre-heated or cooled air. Cold water is pumped in via a borehole and after the cooling is utilized, the heated water is pumped back into the ground via two other boreholes.

The supply air ductwork is run through the unexcavated part of the ground floor beneath the joists to a vertical services shaft located alongside the new toilet groups and storage areas.

Exhaust air

The building had very good conditions for hidden exhaust air. All rooms had separate clay brick flues. They were cleaned and sealed. In the unfitted attic, these flues could be connected by ducts to an exhaust air unit. The air is let out via previously built chimney-like exhaust air hoods on the roof.

The exhaust air unit has a water battery for heat recovery that is connected to the supply air unit in the cellar for pre-heating the supply air when needed.

Experiences

Through the renovation, SFV´s wish to get a ventilation system that could function for many different tenants was fulfilled. Utilizing the unexcavated area underneath the double flooring for running ductwork has been very successful.

The entire building has a very effective and aesthetically appealing ventilation solution that offers the property owners the maximum flexibility when leasing of premises. The current tenant is very satisfied with the system.