Sustainable environmental design for new construction unique
Sustainability is uniquely central to new construction. Not only inside the building, but also on the outside. Therefore, various measures are planned to make the surroundings of the new building as sustainable as possible and to meet the requirements for the "LEED Platinum" label. Five of them are presented below:
Quality of stay
In order to increase the quality of stay and thus the well-being of the employees, a roof garden as well as other nature-oriented areas around the building are planned for the new building. These will also provide a location for various group activities and outdoor interactions. In addition to the social aspect of the green spaces, this measure also creates habitat for native animals and increases rainwater infiltration. In addition, the formation of so-called heat islands, i.e. areas that become extremely warm due to their design, is reduced.
Light-coloured surfaces
In addition to green spaces, light-coloured surfaces in the vicinity of the new building also help to prevent the formation of heat islands. This simultaneously pursues two goals in terms of sustainability. On the one hand, it creates a habitat for animals and plants that do not find heat inviting; on the other hand, light-coloured surfaces require less cooling in summer, which in turn produces fewer greenhouse gases and, not least, reduces cooling costs.
Native plant species
The green areas in our new building are planted exclusively with native plant species. These are adapted to the climatic conditions in Weggis and are more drought-tolerant. This means that an irrigation system using drinking water can be avoided. The nature of native plants also reduces the use of fertilisers or chemical pesticides, which would seep into the rainwater and thus degrade the water quality. Again, planting also creates habitat for animals.
Photovoltaic system
To generate renewable energy, a maximised photovoltaic system will be installed on the new building unique, as was already the case on the roof of the shuttle warehouse. Approximately 98% of the electricity generated by this system is used directly by Thermoplan. At weekends, the electricity generated is fed back into the grid.
Percolation-capable road surfaces
The road surfaces, which are being created for the new building, also make a contribution to sustainability. The robust infiltrative pavement promotes rainwater infiltration and also reduces the heat island effect. These are surfaces around the building that are driven on by heavy vehicles to clean the façade. These surfaces have been specially designed to maximise the contribution to sustainability.
