Coppenrath Innovation Center CIC, Osnabrück, Allemagne

Revitalization of a former locomotive shed building in ring form. The locomotive shed dates back to 1914 and is a listed building. The site, which has been fallow for many years, is located in the immediate vicinity of Osnabrück's main train station, in a prominent urban location. The river Hase flanks the 4-hectare site to the north and west. The aim of the project is to transform the old building into an 'Innovation Center', a functional and comfortable place for start-ups and entrepreneurs. The federal government is funding the CIC as a 'National Project of Urban Development' under the federal program 'NPS - National Projects of Urban Development, which supports projects with high professional quality or with high innovation potential.

This redevelopment is seen as an opportunity to demonstrate innovative solutions that meet the challenges of the current climate crisis. With a holistic approach, the team of architects, building physicists and the planners for energy, HLSE-as well as the other trades-work in close coordination with the client and the users to achieve an integral planning process. The goal is a long-term sustainable building with high quality of stay and a minimized carbon footprint.

The preservation of the existing building and the modular construction method in the interior for offices and meeting rooms uses renewable raw materials hence minimizes the ‘gray’ energy embodied in the building materials. The planned energy efficiency measures make targeted use of the potential of the existing building.

The basic concept of the rounded house relies on good thermal insulation through appropriate insulation standards of the opaque building components. The glazing is a mixture of triple and double glazing with existing glazing in front. Attention is paid to airtight construction to reduce unintentional losses. In summer, optimized night air flushing with cross ventilation through facade and skylights provides cooling. Storage effects with largely unsuspended ceilings also work to prevent overheating in summer, as do exterior movable sunshades and structural shading of the doors. The floors are activated and serve as surface heating while allowing summer cooling if required. Supply air comes primarily through the old maintenance walkways and is distributed to the shed areas as displacement air. Demand ventilation is provided manually through the windows. Decentralized ventilation units with efficient heat recovery are provided per shed area near the wet rooms. The open room volume and the integration into the air distribution minimize the ventilation duct network.