The key element of the project at the junction of Sebastianstraße and Carl-Troll-Straße is a resource- and energy-efficient construction method. The longitudinal section of the building, which is replacing the old Wesselhalle—a former machinery hall—is being built using timber frames and will be insulated with wood shavings in both the roof and the facade. Construction materials made from miscanthus (silvergrass) are being used in some areas to showcase the unique benefits of this particular grass. “In so doing, we’re taking research findings from our faculty’s Renewable Resources team and putting them straight into practice,” explains Dr. Birgit Hoegen, Advisor—Real Estate and Finances in the Faculty of Agricultural, Nutritional, and Engineering Sciences. “This shows how the University of Bonn is embracing applied science, from the initial concept through to the end product.” Work is currently under way to obtain official permission under building law to use the miscanthus-based construction materials that were developed in the Chair for Renewable Resources held by Professor Ralf Pude. This will allow these materials to be used across the board in the next construction project.
Two climate-friendly technologies: the solar panel and the heat pump
Echoing the old trees that stand close by, the facade is being clad in larch wood. The University of Bonn is also relying on climate-friendly technologies for the building’s energy supply, with solar panels on the roof set to provide electricity both to it and to an air-source heat pump that will heat its rooms efficiently.
Meanwhile, the transverse section of the new Sample and Vegetation Center will be given a single-shell outer wall made of state-of-the-art perforated Poroton bricks filled with perlite. This naturally occurring volcanic glass makes the bricks particularly good thermal insulators and renders them compliant with the standards required for KfW Efficiency Houses and Passive Houses. A coating of high-grade mineral finishing render serves to regulate moisture while also boasting self-cleaning properties. The render combines perfectly with the heat-insulating bricks thanks to the mutually beneficial characteristics of the two materials. Here too, an area has been coated with miscanthus render to serve as an example.
The new Sample and Vegetation Center will be used to prepare plants, roots and soils and dissect them for further study in the laboratory. It comes under the aegis of the Service Platform for Plant Experiments, meaning that all institutes, departments and faculties will be able to use it. With its innovative new building, the University of Bonn is not only creating a modern piece of research infrastructure but is also sending out a signal for sustainable construction and the responsible handling of natural resources.
