New-build energy-plus school
New school building with low-exergy heating concept and electricity load management

The new building for Willibald Gluck Secondary School in Neumarkt in Upper Palatinate, Germany, has provided a new learning and living space for 1,400 pupils since August 2015. The four-storey building with two interior atria and 65 classrooms is supplemented by a likewise energy-optimised triple court sports hall. By means of several innovative strategies, the energy-plus school is designed to generate more primary energy from renewable sources than is consumed in the annual balancing.

It was originally planned to completely renovate and expand the existing secondary school, which was built in 1977. The necessary planning was already well advanced when it was discovered that the existing surface drainage under the floor slab was damaged. For this reason the renovation, which was earmarked to cost 27 million euros, was not implemented. Instead it was decided to construct a new-build scheme about 300 metres away from the old site. The rural district of Neumarkt is the client.

Research focus

The construction and commissioning of the school as an energy-plus building including a gymnasium is being scientifically monitored and evaluated. The innovative energy and technology concept implemented here will be controlled by specially developed management strategies so as to ensure a high energy efficiency while simultaneously increasing the school’s own use of the electricity generated and while achieving a high thermal and hygienic interior comfort level. In addition, operating strategies are being developed especially for the energy piles and the agrothermal array, which enable the effective use of the renewable, low-exergy heat sources. Furthermore, an energy laboratory is being established for teaching purposes, which will provide insights into the energy performance and can be integrated into the lessons.

Building concept

The secondary school, together with the triple court sports hall, is located on the western edge of Neumarkt in Upper Palatinate, and is surrounded by relatively extensive green spaces. The connecting route through the campus runs from east to west. It leads from the car park on the western side to the main entrance, and then continues alongside the gymnasium to the canteen, which is located about 300 metres away at the school’s former site. The facades of the new school building are clad along the upper floors with red-tinted, precast panels made of fair faced concrete, whose joints provide a defining feature of the elongated building. The variously offset ribbon windows in the upper storeys, which have coloured glass panes projecting in front of the opening casement windows, are intended to break up the appearance of the elevations. The ground floor features a continuous glass facade.

A large cantilever block on the first floor, which houses offices, marks the main entrance to the school and at the same time acts as a canopy above it. The four-storey school has two inner atria, which serve as recreational spaces.