Berlin, Germany, October 5, 2026. At Berlin’s Alexanderplatz, leading European property company Covivio is constructing the 030BLN, a high-rise building that combines the functions of a small neighbourhood: offices, retail, restaurants and around 300 urban living units under one roof. Its name already embodies Berlin: 030 stands for Berlin’s German landline dialling code, whilst BLN is the city’s international abbreviation – a deliberate blend of local connection and international openness. Spanning 33 storeys, including a penthouse level for building services, the mixed-use tower offers around 60,000 square metres of lettable space, thereby shaping the development of Alexanderplatz into a modern high-rise district. What makes it special is that the building concept combines the first façade-integrated photovoltaic systems on a German high-rise over 60 metres tall with geothermal energy, as well as digital security and operational concepts. Drees & Sommer SE, a consultancy specialising in construction, property and infrastructure, has been supporting the project from the outset with a wide range of services.
A new high-rise skyline is currently taking shape at Alexanderplatz. Whilst in many places the focus is primarily on the height of the towers, Covivio is prioritising other aspects with the 030BLN project. “In a new high-rise district, the initial discussion often centres on the competition between skyscrapers and the height of the towers. As a property owner with high standards of sustainability, our primary concern is how future-proof the building will be. Whether a building will function effectively in the long term is now determined above all by factors such as diverse and flexible use, energy, security and digital infrastructure,” says Andreas Tichay, the project manager responsible at Covivio.
The high standards for energy, safety, sustainability and digital operations have characterised the 030BLN from the outset. Drees & Sommer is supporting the project across numerous disciplines: from energy design and façade technology, through BIM management and green building certification, to technical and economic consultancy and controlling.
The building envelope as a power station
The façade alone reveals the focus of the 030BLN’s energy concept: an integrated photovoltaic system extends across the roof and the building envelope, generating part of the electricity required directly on the building itself. For a building of this height to be permitted to feature a PV façade at all, approval had to be obtained from the German Institute for Building Technology. “Together with Covivio, Sauerbruch Hutton, hhpberlin and other stakeholders, we carried out extensive fire tests to demonstrate that a PV façade at this height is just as safe as any other type of façade cladding. Only then did the Institute give us the green light,” explains Kay Promehl, Associate Partner at Drees & Sommer and Head of Technical and Economic Construction Consultancy. 864 solar panels generate around 120,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. That is roughly the annual consumption of 30 to 40 average households.
The foundation as an energy source
Many high-rise buildings in the city centre rely solely on the district heating network. The 030BLN goes one step further and systematically recovers energy. 54 thermally activated bored piles turn the foundations themselves into a source of energy. They act as a heat exchanger between the building and the ground. In winter, the system extracts heat from the ground and uses it to heat the building. In summer, the process is reversed: the piles release excess heat into the ground, thereby helping to cool the tower. This saves the energy that a conventional air-conditioning system would otherwise consume and, on hot days, also avoids further heating up the city centre. “We needed these bored piles anyway to safely transfer the tower’s loads into the ground. Using them additionally as energy piles is technically very challenging, but significantly more efficient than drilling separate boreholes for geothermal energy,” says Promehl. For its sustainability concept, Covivio is also aiming for LEED Gold certification, one of the most internationally recognised quality marks for energy- and resource-efficient construction.
Sprinkler tank with a dual role
Even surplus energy is not wasted in the 030BLN. The sprinkler tank, which is required for fire safety, also acts as a buffer storage tank, storing cold energy until it is needed. “For every part of the building, we check whether it can take on an additional function. The sprinkler tank is a good example of this: it fights fires in an emergency, but stores energy when it is not needed,” says Promehl. In this way, existing infrastructure can be used sustainably for multiple purposes without consuming additional resources.
Future-readiness requires security
The 030BLN project is not only focused on sustainability when it comes to energy. Covivio has also designed the security concept for users with heightened security requirements. The Drees & Sommer project team developed a concept in close consultation with the relevant authorities in Berlin. Security experts from the state and federal police subsequently reviewed and assessed this concept and confirmed the technical quality of the proposed measures. “Against the backdrop of increasing cyber-attacks and geopolitical tensions in particular, the need to protect critical infrastructure is growing,” says Promehl. From March 2026, the KRITIS Framework Act will also tighten the legal requirements for operators of such infrastructure, for example in the sectors of energy, telecommunications and public administration. “The 030BLN creates the structural conditions for this and offers future tenants a particularly high level of security,” says Promehl.
Instead of using a key, staff will in future open doors using a personalised ID card or digital access authorisation on their smartphone, whilst a system decides in real time who is permitted to enter which areas. Footage from all cameras is fed into a central control room. From there, security staff keep an eye on all relevant areas and can react quickly if necessary.
Planned digitally, operated digitally
Right from the start, Covivio relied on Building Information Modelling (BIM) for the planning and construction of the 030BLN. Put simply, this creates a digital twin of the building, in which all planning and construction data is consolidated. The digital infrastructure was thus taken into account at an early stage of the project. Even during the structural work, Covivio had cables laid for smart-home technology, sensors and digital access systems. This eliminates the need for time-consuming and costly retrofitting.
Covivio is also aiming for SmartScore Platinum certification for the tower’s digital infrastructure. The building already holds WiredScore Platinum certification. This accolade is regarded as one of the most important international standards for digitally connected and future-proof buildings and assesses, amongst other things, the quality of digital connectivity and technical infrastructure. “A functional digital infrastructure makes everyday life in the tower considerably easier,” says Tichay. In the completed building, this is also evident in very practical terms: anyone with an appointment on the twelfth floor can find out via an app, as soon as they enter the building, which lift will take them upstairs the quickest. Desks and the barbecue area on the roof terrace can also be conveniently booked online.
From shell construction to the Vertical City
Completion of the project is scheduled for the second half of 2027. 030BLN brings together retail, catering, modern office space with more than 20 conference and meeting rooms, over 300 urban living units and a nursery under one roof. The concept thus follows the idea of a ‘Vertical City’: an urban building block that brings together work, urban living, shopping and leisure in one place, thereby enabling short distances and vibrant use throughout the day.
The development is complemented by a roof terrace covering around 2,500 square metres, featuring gardens, sports facilities, as well as bar and event areas, and 500 new cycle parking spaces. Sauerbruch Hutton and Studio Aisslinger are responsible for the architecture.
Once completed, Covivio will manage the 030BLN itself. “Ultimately, a building’s future viability is what matters most. With 030BLN, we aim to create a high-rise that will stand the test of time,” says Covivio project manager Andreas Tichay.