Freiburg City Hall shows how integrating efficiency and renewable energy generation from the design stage can transform a public building into a net energy producer.
Opened in 2017, Freiburg City Hall in Germany is an example of a public building designed to produce more energy than it consumes. Its strategy combines low energy demand with photovoltaic generation integrated into both the roof and the areas of the façade exposed to sunlight.
The project adopts an integrated approach in which the building envelope, ventilation, heating and cooling, and renewable energy generation work in coordination. A high level of insulation limits thermal energy needs, while ventilation with heat recovery and the use of groundwater contribute to heating and cooling the building.
Surplus photovoltaic electricity can also be fed into the grid. With DGNB Climate Positive certification, the building illustrates how public architecture can go beyond the objective of reducing consumption and become an energy asset capable of actively contributing to the transition towards a decarbonised building stock.
Source of the picture: smartlighting (HG Esch Photography)
