Experimenta Heilbronn: Invisible technology for sustainable excellence
experimenta in Heilbronn is setting new standards with its Platinum and Diamond certification from the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB). The new science centre, built by the Dieter Schwarz Foundation, is an outstanding example of the combination of innovative technology and sophisticated architecture.
The GraviVent® system from TTC Timmler Technology is at the centre of the sustainable building concept. The silent gravity cooling system requires hardly any energy during operation, can be completely dismantled and remains virtually invisible in terms of design – a key aspect for the architects, who wanted to harmonise technology and design.
Especially in a science centre with up to 2,500 visitors a day and a high internal heat load due to exhibits and media technology, a powerful but quiet cooling system is crucial. Only 179 metres of wall length were available for the four floors of the building in order to integrate the high-performance AASI.51 units. Cooling is provided by 15 °C cold water, which is recirculated at 17 °C – controlled according to the wet bulb temperature, for maximum efficiency.
The project was developed by Schwarz Real Estate in close collaboration with Drees & Sommer – with the aim of creating an ecological and technical role model. The experimenta impressively demonstrates how sustainable building technology, user comfort and architectural quality can merge.