A new research and development facility constructed in Kalenborn-Scheuern, in Germany’s Rhineland-Palatinate state, requires 45 % less energy than comparable buildings. The state-of-the-art structure has already received accolades from regional agencies for its environmental benefits. It offers a modern working space for technical and administration staff at Premosys GmbH.
- 27 September 2019
With its great climate control and outstanding working conditions, our new low-energy building really looks after our employees. Not only is it comfortable, but there have already been significant energy savings per square metre!
Premosys develops and manufactures sensor systems. When the company expanded its head office and needed a new research facility, it wanted a space tailored for its workers.
The result is a building designed to minimise its impact on the rural surroundings of the Eifel, and is wheelchair accessible via an elevator and ramp access. Thanks to its technology and materials, energy costs for the entire building totalled only EUR 1 650 in 2018.
Contributing to climate protection
The building consumes such low amounts of energy because it uses renewable energy for power and heating. It has achieved Germany’s Reconstruction Loan Corporation (KfW) Efficiency House standard by combining cutting-edge insulation techniques, central ventilation and automated systems connected to the internet.
Solar power contributes a large share of the building’s energy supply. A photovoltaic system with 600 m² of panels generates up to 96 kW of energy. With a storage system that can store 20 kW, Premosys is able to avoid drawing unnecessary energy from the grid, even at night.
To ensure energy consumption is as low as possible, the building uses only energy-efficient LED lighting that automatically switches off when staff have left a room.
Designed for the future
For heating, the building uses geothermal energy generated from nine 90 m-deep boreholes. This geothermal energy can also be used to cool the building during summer. In addition, a highly efficient heat pump generates even more heat from 2 000 litres of water stored inside it. A central ventilation system recovers any surplus heat, so nothing is wasted.
All of the building’s smart functions are connected to KNX devices which manage the energy used to optimise power. In November 2017, Premosys was awarded a Climate Protection Plaque for its new research facility from the Rhineland-Palatinate Energy Agency.
Six new engineering jobs were created through the project.
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High Tech auf dem „platten Land“Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Construction of a new high-tech research facility” is EUR 2 354 338, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 470 860 through the “Rheinland-Pfalz” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Energy Union and Climate”.