Gold certification for new DZNE building in Bonn: The first laboratory building receives the highest award in Germany
Today, January, 15th, 2019, the new DZNE building in Bonn is awarded the “Gold certification” of the "Sustainable Building Rating System for Federal Buildings" (BNB). This is the first laboratory building in Germany that is bestowed with the gold award from the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community (BMI). To achieve such a high standard, the DZNE building had to meet a complex catalogue of criteria. Consideration of the general usability and evaluation of building sustainability were two major concerns for the award.
The new DZNE Bonn building is equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories and it operates in an environmentally friendly manner. For example, the energy for heating comes from a geothermal system, with a heat recovery system and a combined, highly efficient, heat and power unit. Both during the construction phase and in the current operation of the building, sustainability and energy efficiency aspects have been quite important. From the beginning of the planning phase, 42 evaluation criteria had to be met within 5 subject areas (ecology, economy, technology, socio-cultural quality and process quality). This ranged from construction of bicycle racks, building costs and land usage. The ecological origin of delivery pallets and the recyclability of the entire complex have been also evaluated.
The award ceremony has taken place in Munich at the world's leading international trade fair for architecture, materials and systems "BAU 2019". The presentation of the award is part of the specialist conference, called „Grün, ressourcenschonend und klimaresistent – Innovationen im nachhaltigen Bauen“, which is organized by the BMI and the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR).
Klaus Hovestadt, Head of the Technical Infrastructure / Construction Department at the DZNE, has accepted the certificate. The building consultant and BNB expert Johannes Hopf from the sustainability building consulting office DS-Plan and the general planner, architect Steffen Vogt from the architectural office wulf architekten, who designed the new DZNE building in Bonn, were also present.
"This makes us pioneers in sustainability for buildings," says Klaus Hovestadt. "Laboratory buildings have never before been awarded a gold certification. This is how the DZNE sets a benchmark".
The construction of the DZNE on the Venusberg in Bonn was financed by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.