The EnergieForum Berlin (occupancy: spring 2003) offers commercial and office space under one roof to production and service companies, company representatives, institutions and scientific facilities in the energy and environmental technology sector.
Two side wings were added to the brick building (warehouse/existing building) on Stralauerplatz, which span a glazed atrium (total GFA approx. 21,200 m²).
In line with the thematic objective of the building, a holistic energy concept was developed for a low-energy building (heat < 10 kWh/m³a; electricity < 30 kWh/m²a) with special consideration of regenerative and rational energy conversion technologies. The innovative approach of the project is underlined by the selection of components that have just left the laboratory and are ready for series or pre-series production.
The target value for the heat requirement is achieved through the good structural thermal insulation, the ventilation concept with heat recovery and the use of passive solar heat gains. The electricity requirement for the building services and artificial lighting was reduced to the specified value through the use of energy-efficient building services, highly transparent glazing and daylight-directing sun protection systems.
Consistently reduced energy demand values enable the use of regenerative and rational technologies. Energy piles, which use the foundations of the building as a seasonal thermal store, assume the central role of energy supply. In winter, heat is extracted from the ground using an electric heat pump and fed to the thermally activated storey ceilings. In summer, the soil cooled down during the winter is used as a cooling source for the concrete core activation. The lower floors are cooled by night ventilation. There is no need for conventional room air conditioning with compression chillers.
The large number of special energy technology components offer visitors the opportunity to experience new technologies in action and take a look into the future. A combined heat and power unit with fuel cells, a 500 m² photovoltaic system and a solar cooling system for the catering area demonstrate the use of renewable energy sources.
By integrating the energy engineers into the design and planning process at an early stage, it was possible to achieve optimum coordination of structural and building services measures. The planning team was supported in the implementation of the concept as part of a quality management system. It was possible to react to change requests and deviations at an early stage. During two years of monitoring by the Institute for Building and Solar Technology, compliance with the energy targets set and the function of the systems were monitored.