More than 95,000 square meters of sustainability
Leuphana University Lüneburg is the first and only university in the German-speaking world to have a sustainability faculty. When it constructed its new Central Building, it asked Bosch Building Automation GmbH to design an efficient and resource-saving building and room automation solution.
Sustainability is a guiding principle for all activities at Leuphana University Lüneburg. Its research faculties include a ‘School of Sustainability’ offering a range of degree paths relating to this field. And the university is also involved in several public sustainability projects. Its 95 000-squaremeter campus is designed to make sustainability an integral part of everyday life for the 9 700 students and more than 1 000 employees who live and work at the university.
Leuphana is located on the site of a former army barracks. Its futuristic Central Building – designed by the architect Daniel Libeskind – forms a striking counterpoint to its 28 other brick buildings. As the new campus hub, this spectacular building is the ideal place for members of the university to study and research and for guests to enjoy concerts and gala events as well as other university functions. The innovative Central Building – opened in 2017 – is not the only structure on campus with a sustainable energy concept that makes an impression. Over the past few years, Leuphana University has introduced many measures to make the entire campus more sustainable and climate friendly. And it can point to many successes: the university has been European EMAS-certified since 2000, and has been carbon neutral on its own initiative since 2014. Two key elements of its sustainability strategy are its efficient use of renewable energy and resources, and its energy revamp of existing buildings.
Bosch’s intelligent building and room automation solution plays an important role at the Central Building. It controls the heating and cooling provided by an adjacent biogas-fueled combined heat and power plant, which also heats the university’s central campus. The system also controls the ventilation systems and the adjustable window panes, which automatically darken in response to sunlight (e-control). In the evening, on weekends and during vacations, heating is automatically reduced or switched off. The ventilation systems in the areas used for events and the large lecture halls are equipped with CO₂ sensors: they measure the CO₂-content in the air in the rooms, providing not only better air quality and better concentration for the students, but also energy savings.
We are bridge builders, custom tailors, pioneers and enablers
Digitalization and artificial intelligence are opening up new possibilities, offering more security, creating comfortable living environments and worlds of work, and making building management more efficient while producing fewer emissions. Their continued success requires one thing above all else: an exceptional team like ours at Bosch Energy and Building Solutions. Around 6 000 competent and motivated associates – from the junior talent to experienced professionals – develop, implement and manage state-of the-art building solutions, combining an excellent customer orientation and technological expertise with high level of enthusiasm.
