Main content:
New office and production buildings in Wangen in the Allgäu region, Germany
Project participants:
Client: Candor Bioscience GmbH
Architect: Cornelsen+Seelinger Architekten BDA
Energy planner: solares bauen GmbH
Building data:
Building type: Administration building
Location: Franz-Walchner-Straße, 88239 Wangen im Allgäu
Gross floor area: 1.800 m²
Jury evaluation
"This project deals with the issue of providing for the requirements of an expanding company using a representative, modular approach to building commercial facilities. The complex range of uses – consisting of production, training and administration – is housed in a simple, compact building with two storeys and 1,600 m² of NFA. However, the architectural features of the facades still only differ slightly. The high insulation standard complements the controlled ventilation combined with heat recovery. The provision of heating and cooling uses the local groundwater and, in the case of heating, a heat pump. Exhaust air humidification provides additional cooling. A solar power system on the flat roof provides the primary energy for the building services equipment."
Project_characterisation
Building concept
The architectural concept provides for a flexible spatial structure which will allow the company to grow. The generous, multi-functional entrance area and the open-plan office structure encourage communication between staff and visitors. Because of the company’s dynamic development at the moment, various possible growth scenarios are taken into account in the construction, extension and technical equipment, meaning that future extensions will be possible without disturbing everyday operations in the building. The planned materials have been chosen so that the number of specific standards applying will be kept to a minimum. For example, the current lab area could be converted into a cafeteria for visitors and staff as part of a future extension. In the same way, the current company management area could be turned into meeting rooms, and the production area currently planned could house laboratories in the future. The ‘displaced’ areas will then move into the possible extensions as shown in the matrix.
Energy concept
Heat insulation: The provision of high-quality thermal insulation will reduce the heating energy requirement as per the passive house planning package (PHPP) to values below 15 kWh/m² p.a. (passive-house standard).
Ventilation: The ventilation system includes a heat exchanger for heat recovery, and a heat recovery efficiency of over 80% is achieved. Adiabatic cooling of the incoming supply air by means of exhaust air humidification reduces the temperature of the incoming air in the summer.
Heat supply: A groundwater heat pump with an output of around 20 kW is used to supply the heating. The heat is distributed using underfloor heating surfaces. In this way, very low operating temperatures and, thus, high coefficients of performance can be achieved for the heat pump operation.
The energy for the first building phase is entirely supplied by a photovoltaic system with a total capacity of 34 kWp. The solar energy system can be extended and will eventually provide the building’s entire energy requirement (heating, drives, lighting etc.) in the annual balance.
Flexibility for future extensions: The energy concept takes into account the requirements of flexible future extensions to the building project. Later extensions (additional storeys) have already been considered as part of the plans for the first building phase. The flat roof is designed as an inverted roof, and the PV system can be easily removed.