A high-profile industrial partner, Siemens AG, has recently moved into the research campus in Garching near Munich. On April 17, Siemens opened its new Technology Center in the immediate vicinity of software giant SAP. Together with around 150 employees from the Technical University of Munich (TUM), more than 450 researchers will work on digital solutions at this location. Located in what is referred to as ‘the Isar Valley’ – a leading European tech hub – the campus offers ideal conditions: this is where industrial companies, technology firms, startup entities, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (the world's leading applied research organization), and the elite universities Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) and TUM are bridging the gap between science and business. The construction and real estate consulting company Drees & Sommer supported Siemens in the construction of the Technology Center.
With an area of around 13,000 square meters, the building is based on a functional and variable layout that promotes interaction between employees. In addition to modern workstations and conference zones, there are technical areas and laboratories, a divisible lecture hall and a foyer exhibiting the latest research projects to the public. A special design feature of the complex is that the main staircase in the interior is open across all floors, similar to department stores. As a result, the new build does not require small-scale firewalls and enables separate areas of up to 5,000 square meters to be configured. The building was designed by Nuremberg-based architecture firm JB.
“The new building on the campus provides a high-power ecosystem for innovation. Together with TU Munich, we are focusing on the development of core technologies such as the future of automation, additive manufacturing processes and Industry 4.0.,“ explained Mario Beck, who heads the project at Siemens.
Digital Brain for Buildings
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is to the construction sector what Industry 4.0 is to manufacturing companies: it facilitates digital interaction between processes, products and stakeholders. To put it briefly, the building information modeling approach, or BIM, enables networked collaboration based on the aggregation of all relevant data. Even before the first diggers arrived at the Technology Center construction site, the planning team was able to visualize every door and window, every pipe, every room and every technical area, from the basement to the roof.
Although the digital method initially increases the planning work, it saves time and costs as the project progresses, as Drees & Sommer expert Andreas Feil explains: “In the digital twin, we do not just describe individual elements of the building. We also provide information on the exact dimensions, the material used and its service life or sound insulation. As everyone involved in the construction work is using the same model, all information is available in real time."
Gold for Sustainability
Siemens not only sets a benchmark in digital innovation: the Technology Center will receive a certification of LEED Gold for environmentally friendly design. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a globally recognized green building certification program. The smart sensors developed in-house and the energy-saving building technology for lighting contribute to greater sustainability. A photovoltaic system on the roof provides sustainable electricity. Heating is delivered by geothermal district heating from the town of Garching. There are also thermoactive suspended ceilings and ventilation with heat recovery.
For Andreas Feil , Siemens’ concept makes it a role model for other industrial companies with regard to decarbonization: “The heating sector makes up more than half of Germany’s energy demand. Around 85 percent of this heat is still generated from fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. In densely populated areas such as Garching, connecting to carbon-neutral local and district heating networks is a very good way of moving away from fossil-fuel heating systems.”
Mario Beck from Siemens comments: “Our objective is clear: all Siemens production facilities and buildings are to reach net zero carbon by 2030. We are investing an additional 650 million euros worldwide for this purpose, a large part of which will be invested in buildings.” This makes the Siemens Technology Center a key component in the international technology group’s strategy to address climate change.