Sustainability Report
Custom Certificates
DGNB Diamond Award
Recognizes outstanding architectural and design quality in addition to sustainability performance.
2024
DGNB New Construction – Educational Buildings
Pre-Certificate aiming for DGNB Platinum
2023
Embodied carbon
Low Carbon
The project adopts numerous strategies to reduce the carbon footprint of construction materials:
- Timber-hybrid structural system replacing a significant portion of conventional concrete construction.
- Extensive use of timber, which stores biogenic carbon.
- Activated clay heating and cooling ceilings made from natural materials.
- Materials sourced predominantly from Central Europe to reduce transportation impacts.
- Selection of recyclable materials throughout the building.
- 100% recycled excavation materials used for ramps, embankments and backfill.
- 100% recycled concrete (RC concrete) used for the blinding layer beneath the foundation slab.
- Façade aluminum manufactured from 75% recycled Hydro CIRCAL aluminum (post-consumer scrap).
- 100% recycled foam glass aggregate used beneath floor screeds.
- Material selection complied with DGNB Product Requirements
Operational Emissions / Energy
Paris Proof
Carbon Emissions
10.15
kg CO₂e/m²
The operational energy concept focuses on minimizing primary energy demand while maximizing passive environmental performance. Key strategies include:
- Timber-hybrid envelope with excellent thermal performance
- Natural ventilation instead of conventional air conditioning
- Activated clay radiant heating and cooling ceilings
- Geothermal energy for heating and cooling
- Rooftop photovoltaic system
- Night cooling
- Passive low-tech building concept
- Green roofs improving thermal performance
- Rainwater retention landscape
- High-performance insulating glazing
- Low mechanical system dependency
- Healthy indoor environment verified through VOC and formaldehyde testing
Service and maintenance emissions
Low Carbon
The project reduces long-term maintenance emissions through:
- Durable timber-hybrid structural system
- Clay radiant ceiling system with long service life
- Ceramic facade with high durability
- Recyclable material palette
- Mechanical connections instead of adhesives
- Dry floor construction enabling replacement of individual layers
- Flexible service routing reducing renovation work
- Natural ventilation that minimizes mechanical equipment replacement
- Long-life facade materials including ceramic, timber and aluminum
- Modular interior planning that supports future adaptation with minimal demolition
Afterlife
Adaptive Reuse and Flexible Design Considerations
Adaptive reuse and long-term flexibility were integral to the design. Strategies include:
- Skeleton structural system minimizing permanent load-bearing walls
- Flexible learning studios and learning houses
- Facade grid allowing partitions to be relocated
- Ring-main building services positioned along facades
- Future educational layouts can be reconfigured without altering the primary structure
- Brownfield redevelopment of the former Bundesgartenschau site into a permanent educational campus
Disassemblable Elements for Circular Economy
Several building systems were designed for future disassembly. Examples include:
- Timber structure assembled entirely with mechanical fasteners
- Structural timber can be dismantled and reused
- Clay heating and cooling ceilings are removable and separable into natural material streams
- Dry screed floor construction without adhesives
- Loose-fill floor system enabling clean material separation
- Recyclable aluminum facade
- Foam glass aggregate manufactured from recycled glass
- Recycled concrete used in foundations
Key products in low carbon design
CO2
TERRART®-BAGUETTE highly adapt...
NBK Architectural Terracotta
CO2
noraplan ® unita
Interface
CO2
LENO® Cross Laminated Timber (...
Zublin Timber
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