Haus des Holzes, Sursee

The ash and beech components of the Haus des Holzes inSursee, Switzerland, fit together like a 3D puzzle. By pinning, dovetailing, or screwing the elements together, they are easier to replace, dismantle, and reuse, making the construction more sustainable. The "House of Wood" is the headquarters of the engineering and planning company Pirmin Jung, which created a modern workplace environment to support its continued growth. In addition to office space, the six-story building also houses several apartments and a yoga studio. 

As the name suggests, the new building is made almost entirely of wood. Ash and beech wood, mainly sourced from local forests, were used for the interior and exterior design as well as the underlays. The only exception is the basement, which had to be built in concrete because it is located at groundwater level.The energy concept is also sustainable and includes a photovoltaic system, a salt battery storage system, several charging stations for cars and bicycles, energy-efficient LED lighting, geothermal probes, heating and cooling pump, water storage, and displacement ventilation with heat recovery. 

From the individual parts to the bigger picture 

Drees & Sommer supported the client with various Cradle to Cradle services. In addition, the project team created a material passport that documents all the materials used. This created transparency over the entire life cycle and simplified decisions on the circular economy and supply chain management. The experts also guided the client through the certification processes for sustainability requirements. The project achieved certification under the Swiss Sustainable Building Standard (SNBS) and MINERGIE-P-ECO.