Research for energy-optimised construction: Address data: Fraunhofer ISE

Address data
Postal address	Heidenhofstraße 2, 79110 Freiburg
Phone	+49 (0)761 4588-0
Fax	+49 (0)761 4588-9000
E-mail	info(at)ise.fraunhofer.de
Internet	www.ise.fhg.de
Category	Research, Services

Climate-active heat storage in construction materials

Construction systems with integrated phase-change materials (PCM) can store a high degree of heat at room temperature. If this heat is transported by means of water-carrying systems, it is possible to regulate room temperatures in an energy-efficient manner. This research project focused on the ongoing development of materials, components and systems with paraffins, the identification of promising applications, the performance of system tests and the development of a planning tool.

more details Climate-active heat storage in construction materials

The new discount supermarket in Rastatt wants to be exemplary in terms of energy efficiency

Industrial and commercial buildings

Energy-efficient supermarket uses daylight and ground cooling

Discount stores and food chains generally construct their supermarkets using standardised architecture and furnishings. Although energy efficiency and indoor comfort are issues that are taken into consideration, they are not quite at the top of the priority list. However, that could soon change, as a project from Aldi Süd shows. With its new store in Rastatt, Germany, the discount supermarket chain is testing its “energy saving store of the future”. The building energy concept is indeed remarkably innovative, whereby the discount supermarket chain wants to save 50% of its energy relative to standard supermarkets.

more details Energy-efficient supermarket uses daylight and ground cooling

Straßenansicht der sanierten Druckerei Engelhardt & Bauer

Office buildings

New climate in Karlsruhe printing company

The commercial property from the 1970s ought to be radically modernised. The low-rise building for around 120 staff had the same weaknesses as many buildings from this period: high energy consumption, inadequate daylight provision, poor air quality and thermally uncomfortable in summer and winter.

more details New climate in Karlsruhe printing company

Sandwich building elements with vacuum insulation

Sandwich building elements allow a wide variety of material combinations, and have versatile implementation possibilities in the building trade. In this research project, sandwich building elements with integrated vacuum insulation were developed. They are now being tested and scientifically evaluated in practice in a demonstration building in Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz (Germany).

more details Sandwich building elements with vacuum insulation

Schools

Refurbishment and expansion to become energy-plus school

Instead of attending three different school sites in the Rostock suburb of Reutershagen, in future school pupils shall be taught in a central and expanded school building that has been refurbished in terms of its energy efficiency. The school is designed to achieve the energy-plus standard, which means that it will produce more energy than the building requires during the course of the year. The project can be transferred to other schools because this type of building is widespread in the former East German federal states and also exists in a similar form in the West German federal states.

more details Refurbishment and expansion to become energy-plus school

Industrial and commercial buildings

Solvis zero-emission factory

There were prizes aplenty: already before construction work commenced, the building won the Innovation Prize for Architecture in 2001. This was later followed by the European Solar Prize, the Architecture & Technology Award, and finally the Energy Globe. This is no surprise, as this new building, which houses the production and administration facilities of one of Germany's leading solar companies, operates on 100% renewable energy sources.

more details Solvis zero-emission factory

In 2002 the administrative centre of Pollmeier was awarded with the German Facade Prize.

Office buildings

Pollmeier administration centre

The new administration building for the company Pollmeier in Creuzburg (Germany) stands out due to its extraordinary architecture, and was awarded the “Fassadenbaupreis” (German facade construction award) in 2002. At the same time, it is a highly energy-efficient building; for example, the window surface areas are dimensioned according to the cardinal direction.

more details Pollmeier administration centre

Office buildings

Lamparter passive office building

This sleek office building is an excellent example of how energy performance and indoor comfort can be achieved at a low cost. The success of this project is largely due to a clear vision on the part of the client right from the start. The passive-house concept is employed here. The energy philosophy includes a ventilation system with heat recovery and a ground-coupled heat exchanger. Heating and cooling are implemented using air flows, which is not entirely unproblematic from a fire-safety point of view.

more details Lamparter passive office building

Office buildings

New Fraunhofer ISE Institute

The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems is no normal building user, since the institute was able to incorporate its research and development expertise into the energy-related design of the new building. This led to a building that seeks to combine the research institute’s user requirements with excellent design quality, indoor comfort and energy efficiency.

more details New Fraunhofer ISE Institute

Office buildings

New building for the German Federal Environment Agency in Dessau

The German Federal Environment Agency’s new building in Dessau is certainly an eye-catcher. The building was designed as a colourful, gently curving ‘strip’ made from wood, metal and glass, and it defines the whole site. The building designed by the Sauerbruch Hutton architecture agency is also quite ambitious in terms of energy efficiency and ecological aspects. The long atrium in this new building is a protected room with greenery and also serves as a thermal buffer. As an EnOB model project, the building was subject to intensive scientific monitoring. The results are now available.

more details New building for the German Federal Environment Agency in Dessau

In the foreground: Two models of vacuum insulation glass on the fair glastec06 in Düsseldorf, Germany

Next Step: Vacuum insulation glass

Vacuum instead of inert gases - with this technological development, glazing could take another great developmental stride. However, at 10 tonnes per square metre, the atmospheric pressure on evacuated flat glazing is immense. And for evacuated glazing, the same applies as for vacuum panels: only a lasting vacuum guarantees good thermal insulation. Now, this research project is to provide evidence that evacuated glazings with special functional layers are technically feasible for architecture.

more details Next Step: Vacuum insulation glass

Fraunhofer ISE

Player in the projects below: