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Smart and sustainable: Drees & Sommer leads by example by building the future

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On the first-ever virtual tour of the company’s new headquarters in Stuttgart, Drees & Sommer’s experts Steffen Szeidl, Peter Mösle and Dirk Holzmann explained how this new building will be developed as an energy-plus customised smart building using circular economy principles. Aimed as a real-life model of the highest level of sustainability andtechnology, the new building is located at Obere Waldplätze 12 in Stuttgart, referred by its acronym OWP 12. The building is set to work as a testimony of the company’s forward-looking construction concepts, delivered as a sustainable futureproofed HQ.

The €22m administrative building is due for completion in the fall of 2021, it will offer 7,000 sqm across four stories, providing offices for 200 staff members, conference rooms, a terrace, and a canteen for up to 1,000 people.

Steffen Szeidl, Member of the Executive Board at Drees & Sommer SE said: “We advise clients on digital, flexible and efficient ways to plan and construct buildings and to operate them intelligently, paying strict attention to eco-friendliness. The best way to prove what methods are successful and economically viable is to demonstrate them by our example.”

The new headquarters is being developed through a unique process. As an energy-plus building, it is designed to generate more energy during operation than it consumes. This is achieved using high insulation, photovoltaic installations, geothermal energy sources and greenery throughout the building’s façades. Relying on the company’s own expertise, a significant part of the building will be constructed using Cradle to Cradle design principles, which means that a large portion of the materials can be reused after the building’s lifecycle or be fully degraded in a biological recycling process.

Detailed information about the properties of the materials used in the construction has been stored in the materials passport. This approach is enabled through the BIM process. Lean principles in addition to the modular and prefabricated construction process will reduce construction time to a minimum.

Dirk Holzmann, BIM expert, took the audience through a live virtual tour of the 3D BIM model, explaining how it provides a single and reliable source where the entire information of the building is stored, from the materials passport to the core installations of the building.

Conceived as a Customised Smart Building, the user experience throughout the building will be enhanced. Employees will have digital software that will allow them to book rooms and manage internal resources efficiently.  The building has been designed through a holistic integrated approach, offering bright, well-ventilated spaces designed with wellbeing and hygiene in mind. The use of natural and recyclable materials will provide a healthier workspace for employees. Additional sustainable concepts such as building circularity passport, geothermal energy, circular and insulated façade and greenery on the façade will contribute to the sustainability and biodiversity of the site.

Peter Mösle, Partner & Managing Director of EPEA, explained how the principles of Circular Economy have been applied to the design of the headquarters, making the building’s materials available to be reused after its lifecycle. Adding: “Implementing the Cradle to Cradle principle is only possible using digital tools in a digital environment. The rooms are being designed to have a positive impact on the air quality in the office and workers’ productivity.”

2020 marks the 50th anniversary of Drees & Sommer and this building showcases every aspect of the consultancy’s experience, Steffen Szeidl commented: By developing this holistic construction approach in building our new HQ,we are able to show every aspect of our company’s experience gained over the last 50 years.”

You can listen to the entire panel by clicking here.