Sustainability
The new Central Building answers Leuphana University’s ambition to offer an exemplary sustainable campus. The ideas, which have been realized in the building design, partly originate from student ideas in seminars with Daniel Libeskind.
An important criterion in planning was a particularly economical use of energy, which in modern buildings is needed first of all for lighting, ventilation and cooling. In the Leuphana Central Building, a rear-ventilated façade inclined towards the sun provides natural shading and passive cooling. All parts of the building are aligned in such a way that none of the outer walls facees directly to the south. The combination with switchable glazing made mechanical cooling almost redundant. In order to minimize the aid of mechanical ventilation, the windows can be opened manually supported by CO2 air quality signals for energy efficient ventilation.
The building is equipped with a motion and daylight sensitive LED lighting system. Combined with an outstanding insulation, triple glazing, heat recovery, and the supply from low-temperature waste heat, to mention just the prime technology, the construction sets standards for the energy efficiency of public buildings.
Renewable resources provide energy for other purposes throughout the entire campus. Heating is provided by a biogas CHP (combined heat and power) plant and a solar system on campus buildings produces additional power, which covers 25 % of the demand.
The building construction is extraordinarily light. Instead of massive reinforced concrete slabs, Cobiax synthetic void former modules have been installed. This rendered a significant material savings potential for concrete and steel, the production of which requires energy and water and produces CO2. A gray water system makes rainwater usable for flushing toilettes, which is collected on the green roofs and the façade. The ventilated zinc façade reflects heat and cold and keeps the building dry, contributing positively to its longevity.
A professional utilisation concept for the building ensures an ideal occupancy rate even at off-peak hours.