New FRITZ Office and Events Centre, Grenzach-Wyhlen

The construction of the new FRITZ office and events centre at Roche’s site in Grenzach-Wyhlen has resulted in an architecturally sophisticated and highly flexible building designed for modern working environments and large-scale events. The project is a prime example of innovative building physics in office construction, as well as energy-efficient and sustainable design. 

MorgenGrün was responsible for the thermal building physics, building acoustics and room acoustics aspects of the project – including thermal insulation and energy balancing, as well as the acoustic optimisation of work and event areas. The aim was to meet both the statutory requirements and the high comfort standards of an internationally active pharmaceutical company. 

Architecture and building physics in harmony 

As the new entrance to the Roche site in Grenzach-Wyhlen, Baden-Württemberg, FRITZ (formerly FOB) combines prestigious functions with a high degree of flexibility of use. With a floor area of around 10,000 m², the building offers open-plan workspaces, a spacious foyer and a two-storey auditorium seating up to 550 people.

The column-free spaces and the striking structural framework place high demands on the office and conference building, not only architecturally but also in terms of building physics, room acoustics and sound insulation. 

MorgenGrün, a brand of ZWP Ingenieur-AG, contributed its expertise precisely in this area: with a holistic building physics concept for modern office buildings that does not restrict the architectural vision, but rather makes it possible.

When indoor climate control becomes a matter of planning: thermal insulation, the Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV), summer heat protection

In the area of thermal insulation, the statutory certifications required under the 2016 Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV) were prepared. In addition, it was demonstrated that the summer thermal insulation also meets the requirements of DIN 4108. This ensured that key requirements for energy efficiency and sustainable building physics were met in the office building. Working closely with the design team, MorgenGrün developed specific guidelines for this purpose, such as effective sun protection measures to optimise the indoor climate and reduce cooling loads.

In addition, MorgenGrün carried out CFD and daylight simulations. Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, air flows and thermal comfort conditions within the building were analysed and optimised. The daylight simulations provided important insights into the natural lighting of the rooms and supported the planning of an energy-efficient and user-friendly building concept.

Building acoustics and sound insulation for optimal working conditions

Particular attention was paid to building acoustics. In addition to planning structural sound insulation in accordance with DIN 4109, the acoustic requirements of the various areas of use were incorporated into the planning at an early stage. The aim was to create optimal conditions for concentrated work, confidential discussions and the flexible use of conference and event spaces. As a result, the building meets high standards in the field of sound insulation and building acoustics for office and event buildings.

Room acoustics for flexible usage concepts

MorgenGrün worked with the architects to develop the room acoustics for the small, medium and large conference areas. Particular attention was paid to ensuring a high degree of flexibility in the spaces: in the largest configuration, an event room of around 520 m² is available. Mobile partition walls allow this to be divided into rooms measuring 135, 225 or 375 m².

Acoustic simulations were carried out for all room configurations. On this basis, MorgenGrün optimised the reverberation times and speech intelligibility, ensuring that conferences, meetings and larger events all benefit from optimal acoustic conditions across all usage scenarios.

Quality assurance through measurements

As part of quality assurance during the construction process, MorgenGrün carried out building acoustics measurements in the completed building. Using standardised measurement procedures, the sound insulation values achieved were objectively verified and compared with the design targets. The results confirmed the effectiveness of the sound insulation measures implemented and documented compliance with the required acoustic quality standards.

Comprehensive planning involving all project stakeholders

The project was comprehensively planned and supervised by ZWP Ingenieur-AG in the field of building services engineering.

MorgenGrün complemented these services as a specialist unit for building physics. Close collaboration within the ZWP Group and with the project stakeholders – in particular Itten+Brechbühl as the lead designer and Christ & Gantenbein as the architects – enabled a holistic, integrated design process focusing on building physics, energy efficiency and user comfort.

Sustainable building physics and measurable quality

Through a combination of thorough planning, precise calculations and quality assurance throughout the construction process, MorgenGrün makes a decisive contribution to the functionality and sustainability of the building.
FRITZ is thus a prime example of modern office and event venues where architectural excellence goes hand in hand with high-quality building physics, building acoustics and energy-efficient building concepts.

Images: © Christ Gantenbein, Rendering by Ponnie Images