Sustainability Report

The project is WiredScore Platinum certified. 

LEED Platinum certification is being sought.

LEED Zero Carbon, BEG 55 EE, and Well Platinum are in preparation.

Embodied carbon highlights

• The project’s material selection focused on lowering carbon from the outset. Timber was specified for columns, trusses, and ceilings to optimise the ecological footprint.
• Construction beech for trusses and beams is PEFC‑certified, uses regional raw material, weighs 66 percent less than reinforced concrete, and stores carbon (1.171 kg CO2 per cubic metre, according to the manufacturer).
• Ceilings are CLT — PEFC‑certified softwood and mainly spruce. In combination with reinforced concrete, they provide high load capacity, acoustic and thermal benefits, and fire safety.
• Timber elements were prefabricated as system components, reducing waste and site impacts, and speeding installation.
• DELTABEAM® Green composite beams were used. These are made with over 95 percent recycled steel, using approximately 800 tonnes of “green” steel.
• Recycled concrete is part of the hybrid build, improving the project’s embodied carbon balance where it replaces conventional mixes.

Operational emissions highlights

• The project’s target is net‑zero operation with energy supplied by solar, geothermal, and ambient air — no use of fossil fuels.
• A disused Osthafen freight tunnel was repurposed as an ice‑store, preserving grey energy and contributing positively to the building’s ecological and energy balance. As a result, one of Germany’s largest ice‑storage systems (1.6 million litres) provides seasonal heating and cooling, and stores surplus building heat; hot water can be produced year‑round.
• Rooftop renewables: ~1,250 square metres of solar hybrid collectors and ~300 square metres of PV modules. The electricity generated drives the heating and cooling circuit, including heat pumps.
• The concrete’s thermal mass slows summer heat gain, reducing cooling energy demand.