Sustainability Report
Custom Certificates
Embodied carbon
The building uses Zirkulit circular concrete. Through mineral carbonation, thsi material chemically binds CO2 into the concrete's recycled aggregates to form stable carbonate minerals. The project used 83000m3 of concrete, which binds roughly 83 tonnes of CO2 permanently in the material.
Operational Emissions / Energy
The building minimises operational emissions through passive design strategies rather than conventional heating, cooling and mechanical ventilation systems. Its thick, highly insulated walls and thermal mass stabilise indoor temperatures, while sensor-controlled natural ventilation and strategic shading maintain air quality and prevent overheating. The building also captures internal heat from occupants and equipment, reducing the need for additional energy, and generates renewable electricity on-site with photovoltaic panels generating ~260 MWh/year of electricity, further cutting operational carbon emissions.
Service and maintenance emissions
By avoiding conventional HVAC systems and relying on passive design with thermal mass and natural ventilation, the building requires minimal mechanical maintenance and/or replacement.
Afterlife
The architectural design focuses on deconstruction and reuse at end of life. The recycled concrete can be reused. Use-neutral floors provide logevity and can easily adapted for changing labour-worlds.
Not all concrete is the same. The developers opted for zirkulit concrete. The use of 8,300 cubic metres of this material saved over 10,000 tonnes of primary resources and bound 83 tonnes of CO2 in the material. The use of zirkulit concrete® reinforces the transformation to a circular economy. In Schlieren, too, a conscious decision was made to use adhesive-free materials: concrete, brick, plaster and wood characterise the ensemble and are recyclable at the construction site.
Key products in low carbon design
