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EnBau: "Energy-optimised new buildings" model projects

If the total energy consumption of today's office buildings is considered in terms of primary energy, the electrical energy consumption for ventilation (15%), lighting (27%), and usage (33%), and the energy used for active cooling (11%), make up a high proportion of the total energy consumption. Increasing insulation measures entailed by the German Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV) heighten the significance of electricity consumption in the overall equation. Due to the fact that the greatest potentials for energy savings reside in the areas of ventilation, air conditioning, and lighting technology in particular, optimised or even passive cooling concepts can significantly reduce electrical energy consumption, and thus also significantly reduce the primary energy requirement.

 

Today, energy-optimised buildings with a comparatively low heating and cooling requirement can be realised. In these buildings, it is also possible to establish a pleasant interior climate without costly building services equipment. This is made possible primarily by a combination of carefully coordinated measures with the following basic elements: very good thermal insulation and sun protection, sufficient thermal storage capacity in the building, and an air-tight building envelope in conjunction with hygienic ventilation and heat recovery.

In the research area EnBau, buildings with high energy efficiency are being developed and researched. These are mainly office and administration buildings, as well as public and commercial buildings, which, already on the basis of well thought-out design and physical construction qualities, offer good conditions for comfort. High thermal and visual comfort can be achieved with reduced, slimmed-down building services equipment. Here, the architecture, construction system, structural design, and building services equipment are coordinated so perfectly, that the lowest possible energy requirement for heating, cooling and lighting is achieved. A prominent characteristic is the now-possible abandonment of chillers, in favour of so-called "passive cooling".

Prerequisite for participation in "EnBau": the buildings' heating requirement may not exceed 40kWh/m² p.a. and the total primary energy requirement for heating, light, ventilation and air conditioning must be less than 100kWh/m² p.a. (based on the net floor area).

 

 

EnBau projects:

Der Prototyp – Visualisierung während der Planung
Building type Special buildings
Project status: Phase 2
Framework project EnBau

Solar Decathlon Winner –"Living 2015" Prototype

1st prize in the international "Solar Decathlon 2007" competition to find the most attractive and energy-efficient solar home in 2007 went to Germany. The competition rules require a fully energy-independent building with a floor area limited to 75 m². The prototype is laden with new technologies and concepts: Vacuum insulation (VIP), thermo-active building systems using phase change materials (PCM), solar power generation (PV) integrated into the facade and roof and many other features ensure energy autonomy.

Dienstleistungs- und Verwaltungszentrum Eberswalde
Building type Office buildings
Project status: Phase 3
Framework project EnBau

Barnim Service and Administration Centre

The newly built Barnim Service and Administration Centre fills an empty space, over a hectare in size, which was caused during wartime in the middle of the historic old city of Eberswalde (Germany). The "missing piece of the city" is filled by four compact 3-to-4-storey structures, which fit into the existing city structure in terms of form and scale.

The new Regionshaus building in Hanover
Building type Office buildings
Project status: Phase 3
Framework project EnBau

PPP model for new Regionshaus building in Hanover

This building demonstrates two important aspects of innovative construction: firstly, the contractor's requirements with regard to energy efficiency and occupant comfort are set very high, and secondly a particular financing model is applied: the "public private partnership", or PPP for short. The contractor (the Region of Hanover), despite a tight public budget, is able to build a consistently energy-optimised building for 300 staff.

Museum Ritter innen
Building type Special buildings
Project status: Phase 3
Framework project EnBau

Energy efficiency now in the museum

Directly alongside the Ritter Sport chocolate factory is the Museum Ritter, which was designed by the Berlin architect Max Dudler.Here the natural resources timber, solar energy and geothermal energy are deployed in the cutting-edge building services technology, whereby very high demands have been set for the indoor environment in the exhibition rooms for conservation reasons.

Workshop for disabled people in Lindenberg
Building type Industrial and commercial buildings
Project status: Phase 4
Framework project EnBau

Workshops for disabled people

The workshops for disabled people in Lindenberg (Germany) represent a good example of consideration and consistent implementation of energy aspects from the very onset, and this with reasonable costs. But at the same time, the real objective always remained in focus, namely to equip the rooms to suit the occupants and their special needs.

Gebhard Müller School in Biberach.
Building type Schools
Project status: Phase 3
Framework project EnBau

Vocational training school in Biberach

The Gebhard Müller School is a business school in the Kreis-Berufsschulzentrum Biberach (Biberach District Vocational School Centre). This new construction meant that the school was to have its own building, oriented towards the contractor's very ambitious requirements with regard to comfort, flexibility of the indoor areas, and energy consumption.

A general vies of the Energon building.
Building type Office buildings
Project status: Phase 4
Framework project EnBau

Energon passive office building

With 8,000m², the world's largest office building planned in accordance with the passive house standard relies on a sophisticated ventilation concept, and is provided with heat and cold from renewable sources, namely from the ground, and from a remote heating system largely based on biomass.

Solvis administration building
Building type Industrial and commercial buildings
Projektstatus: Phase 5
Framework project EnBau

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.

BOB Aachen Balanced Office Buildings
Building type Office buildings
Projektstatus: Phase 5
Framework project EnBau

BOB – Balanced Office Building

Since with the "Balanced Office Building" the designers were also the developers and users, it was possible to optimise the building in all details and in an interdisciplinary manner. Right from the beginning it was planned to develop the concept as a serial product. The building was therefore intended to be particularly economical to create and operate.

In 2002 the administrative centre of Pollmeier was awarded with the German Facade Prize.
Building type Office buildings
Projektstatus: Phase 5
Framework project EnBau

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.

Schrägansicht ZUB Kassel
Building type Public buildings
Projektstatus: Phase 5
Framework project EnBau

Centre for Environmentally Conscious Construction

The ZUB in Kassel (Germany) describes itself as a "link between theory and practice". It serves as both a research building and a demonstration building, as due to the establishment of an experimental area and a flexible facade, it offers the possibility of examining innovative construction concepts in real installations.

Hübner production hall
Building type Industrial and commercial buildings
Projektstatus: Phase 5
Framework project EnBau

Hübner production hall

This hall stands out well from the cheap concrete and steel monotony of most industrial halls. Despite very tight restrictions on costs and planning time, it proved possible to build a production hall that was ambitious both architecturally and with regards to energy.