Guided tours of the hall and workrooms enabled guests to learn about what will be going on in the building and meet the people who will be based there, while there were also opportunities for dialogue and one-to-one encounters. One visitor, who lives directly opposite, said: “I think it’s important for neighbors to talk to one another,” and she would expect the same of the University as she would of other local residents.
For another visitor, the tour was also a trip back into his own past, as he himself had studied agricultural sciences at the University of Bonn many years ago before going on to do a doctorate in the same subject. The tour of the center brought back memories of his time as a student and old research projects, so it was no surprise that he felt like he was “coming home” in a way during his visit.
Working safely with plants and soils
The visitors also had the chance to ask specific questions. One, for example, wanted to know what was being done to prevent alien organisms from being released accidentally when plants or soil samples from other parts of the world were being handled. Project manager Dr. Alina Klaus, Director of the Service Platform for Plant Experiments (DLP), was on hand to reassure the audience that any plants and soils that are imported are first stored and tested under controlled conditions and cannot be used for any research projects or analyses until they have been examined. The building also has a dedicated storage area equipped with everything required under the law in order to accommodate soil samples from non-EU countries.
Safety is also an important consideration when processing experimental plants from Germany, so extra-special precautions will be taken in the room where plant material is going to be threshed and ground, among other things. These structural and technical measures are designed to prevent fine grain dust from setting off an explosion.
The Sample and Vegetation Center will be used to prepare plants, roots and soils and get them ready for further tests in the laboratories. Part of the Service Platform for Plant Experiments, it will be used by researchers from several departments, institutes and faculties. Thus it will offer a state-of-the-art environment for research and teaching, e.g. for studies investigating sustainable crop production, dealing with drought stress, automating plant testing, and using robotics and digital technologies in agriculture.
Turning research findings into building materials
During the tour of the Grünes Haus, it became clear that, rather than merely being the subject matter of research, sustainability also played a key role in the construction process itself. This is because parts of the building were constructed using timber frames and insulated with natural materials, in this case wood shavings. Meanwhile, solar panels on the roof generate electricity to power an air-to-water heat pump, among other things. Any electricity that is not needed in the Sample and Vegetation Center itself will be fed into other University buildings.
Construction materials made from miscanthus, also known as silvergrass, are another special feature. The use of this fast-growing grass as a renewable raw material has been studied at Klein-Altendorf Campus, the University of Bonn’s very own test site, for many years now. Among other things, the new center includes demonstration areas that use miscanthus-based insulation materials and render, thus putting the faculty’s research findings directly into practice.
The outdoor areas have also been designed with the environment in mind: “We’ve installed around 50 boxes around the building to give birds more spaces to nest in the heart of the city,” explained Faculty Manager Dr. Birgit Hoegen. Habitats have also been created for a variety of insects, including a sandarium, dry stone areas and green facades.
The visit organized for local residents demonstrated that the new building is intended as more than just a center for cutting-edge agricultural research. By extending its invitation, the University of Excellence also opened its doors to its neighbors to provide insights into its work. During the conversations, it became clear just how much interest there is in this, especially among locals. “Thank you for putting up with the inconvenience caused by the building work,” Dr. Hoegen said as the event drew to a close. She finished with a request: “Please do continue to keep an eye on us and our Grünes Haus!”
