New Build Data Centre, University of Greifswald

In the close of 2013, HWP Planungsgesellschaft mbH (HWP), using the VOF competition method along with evidence of its previous works, secured the 1st place ranking and the award for the design of a new build data centre at the University of Greifswald. According to the Department of Construction and Development for the Federal State of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania (German abbreviation: BBL M-V), "The proposal for the project [.] satisfies the requirements for the functional, technical and IT concept in an outstanding manner and in comparison to the other designs presented in the process, was the most convincing architectural, technical and urban planning solution." The integrated solution proposed was the product of a joint venture submission with partners GTB Berlin Gesellschaft für Technik am Bau mbH as well as dc-ce RZ-Beratung, Frankfurt am Main.

The BBL M-V had placed a special emphasis on the issue of energy efficiency. HWP, having been a part of a working group within the German Sustainable Building Council for many years, being familiar with international sustainability certifications such as BREAM and being a member of LEED, was well placed with its partners to meet this challenge. "From the perspective of BNB-System, the design achieved a high overall compliance with the criteria and is the appropriate choice to realise a sustainable, energy efficient building with an excellent life- cycle and energy concept," informs the BBL M-V. The formation of an integrated team was critical to meet the award criteria. "We were very pleased that this approach was explicitly required. For more than four decades, HWP has laid special emphasis on the interdisciplinary and integrated approach." said Frank Wachholz, Managing Director at HWP Planungsgesellschaft mbH.

The planning task includes the construction of a university data centre with approximately 1000 square meters of usable space for the University and University Hospital Greifswald. The proposed site currently contains various existing buildings which will need to be demolished in the course of construction, including the existing university data centre which must however remain operational until the new data centre comes on line. The design solution comprises of an office and seminar building with the new data centre to the north which will be connected by a bridge. Together, the two buildings of the data centre will be orientated to the existing buildings. In the following development stages, the existing data centre can be demolished allowing for a seminar and media centre, and psychology department building to be realised directly adjacent.

Team
HWP Planungsgesellschaft mbH, Stuttgart mit ttsp hwp seidel Planungsgesellschaft, Frankfurt/M.

Design
Dipl.-Ing. Architekt Krzysztof Laszcz
Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Architekt Peter Bonfert

Consulting
dc-ce RZ-Beratung, Teltow

ARGE Partner
GTB - Berlin Gesellschaft für Technik am Bau mbH, Berlin
dc-ce RZ-Beratung, Teltow