Start-up centre for ecological enterprises

The start-up centre was developed as part of the North Rhine-Westphalia Eco-Centre on a former Ruhrkohle AG colliery site. The centre enables ecologically-oriented trades and service enterprises from the construction industry to rent office, warehouse and/or workshop space at low rents for a limited period. Up to twenty different companies can benefit from the synergy effects this offers.

The buildings are grouped round a courtyard and loading area, and the stand-alone office building forms one edge of the new arrangement. The offices and industrial buildings can be partitioned as required to react flexibly to the needs of these young enterprises. The thermal zoning within the units can be modified retrospectively, enabling, for example, unheated warehouse areas to be rezoned as fully-serviced workshop space as required.

Renewable raw materials and recycled materials (clinker bricks) were used in the construction. The ceiling slabs of the offices are of stacked-plank construction. The steel frames of the units are infilled with masonry of recycled stone from a nearby colliery. The timber roof modules of the units are insulated with recycled cellulose.

The units are heated by a warm-air heating system, with the air from outside drawn in either via a ground duct or a four-storey collector façade, depending on the outside conditions. The heat from the exhaust air is used to preheat the incoming air. Rainwater is used as grey water, e.g. for toilet flushing.