Setting new standards: Freiburg Town Hall is Germany`s first net plus-energy administration building

Natural shapes. Solar panels on a protective cover crafted from glass and wooden slats. Bright interiors that ooze discreet elegance. A human scale. All of these aspects are perfectly reflected in the new Freiburg Town Hall. In addition, LED lighting solutions specially developed by Zumtobel in collaboration with ingenhoven architects, Tropp Lighting Design and the City of Freiburg authorities help the building generate more energy than it actually uses. A very positive outcome – in every sense.

A six-storey building. Nestled behind large sycamore trees. And yet it is neither the size nor the situation of the new town hall that first catch the eye. It is the shape: a natural oval form that cannot help but inspire curiosity. Move a little closer and an intriguing glass façade comes slowly into view. A façade with slender storey-high slats that stretch around the building. A façade with slats that are light larch wood on one side and full-scale photovoltaic panel on the other, simultaneously shaping and showing the core characteristics of the new town hall in the German city of Freiburg: stylish and functional design with pioneering energy efficiency based on a concept devised by general planning consultants DS Plan. In close cooperation with ingenhoven architects, Tropp Lighting Design and the city of Freiburg authorities, Zumtobel set about developing customised energy-efficient LED lighting solutions for the offices, the Public Service Centre and the canteen. The results are now an essential part of the clearly structured and ergonomic work and service areas for the 840 employees who were previously spread across various different locations. And that is not all: These solutions have also played a major role in enabling Freiburg Town Hall to become Germany's first net plus-energy administration building.

Around 1000 visitors a day make their way across the square in front of the town hall and head through the porch into the Public Service Centre. This is where people can apply for official documents and take advantage of the range of services offered by the city authorities. And this is where windowless corridors with individual offices have now given way to a spacious hall in elegant white – flooded with light – that takes up the whole of the oval inner quadrangle. And then the eyes are drawn upwards. First to the large round glass skylights and then on to the wooden façade of the five office floors and finally the sky above Freiburg. Only then do visitors notice the four round service islands.

With a diameter of around 10 metres, these “rotundas” feature a central cylinder that houses a discreet private area flanked by circular consultation zones. Above each of these stations hangs a delicate lighting ring, suspended from the ceiling, which emphasises the rotundas as islands of light in the hall. At the same time, this ring illuminates the workspaces without the need for any additional fittings. Working alongside the planners and Fries Innenausbau, the manufacturer that developed the rotundas as integrated furniture systems, Zumtobel was asked to come up with a lighting solution that hits strict targets in terms of atmosphere and simultaneously fulfils various other requirements.

Creative-constructive aspects were just as important as the specifications defined by the City of Freiburg authorities for workplace lighting exposure and sustainability. Glare-free light without the unwelcome sight of discernible LED points has been achieved thanks to a multilayer luminaire structure incorporating a diffuser and micro-prismatic optics. The crucial increased colour rendering index (CRI) > 90 guarantees maximum light quality and colour authenticity. Interchangeable gear trays were also required to support the conservation of resources, enabling the lighting technology to be replaced without having to renew the custom-made luminaire housing and its sophisticated optical unit.

Two routes lead from the Public Service Centre to the internal offices on the upper floors. Elegant subdued colours, large-scale glazed facades and office partitions, as well as an open-plan layout, create a pleasantly bright working environment. An environment where easy orientation and open communication are actively supported. When it comes to light quality, colour authenticity and future-proofing, the linear luminaires suspended from the ceiling in the offices meet the same stringent requirements as the solution designed for the rotundas on the ground floor.

To help provide optimal support for visual tasks in the biaxial offices with just one luminaire, it was also necessary to be able to install the solutions in the middle of the axes of the office raster. Stepping up to this challenge, Zumtobel developed a 3-metre-long fitting based on the LINCOR product, combining a very slim cross-section of just 63 x 64 mm with an extremely high light output of 11,000 lumens. A perfectly defined colour temperature of 4000 Kelvin and outstanding glare reduction – thanks to the mini-cell structure – ensure excellent light quality, while the 70-30 ratio of direct light onto the workspace and indirect illumination of the ceiling also has a noticeably positive effect. Brightness and motion sensors are integrated into the luminaires for added comfort and, importantly, added efficiency. Speaking of efficiency, the light level is permanently adjusted to provide the required illuminance of 500 lux on the desks – but only when it is really needed. If all the employees have left the office, the luminaires are simply switched off. No users, no light, no waste.

Workers in the town hall have access to the staff restaurant on the ground floor at lunchtime – a large, completely white open space that echoes the look and feel of the Public Service Centre. The clear design creates a structured space in which features like vertical stripes of colour on the walls and wooden chairs generate a pleasant feeling. A warm feeling. And a welcome feeling. Recessed completely into the ceiling, special prismatic luminaires from Zumtobel meet the same exacting standards of design, quality and energy efficiency as the solutions in the work areas. High colour rendering of CRI > 90 also plays a key role in the restaurant, presenting the meals in just the right tones, with just the right light, for just the right effect.

Achieving this perfect blend of architecture, design and light to deliver the highest standards of well-being, design and energy efficiency have helped Freiburg Town Hall become Germany`s first net plus-energy administration building. Yet the awards and attention are in no way limited by national borders. Honours like the Balthasar Neumann Prize show just how this building has really shot to prominence on the international architecture scene. The Balthasar Neumann jury recognised the new Freiburg Town Hall as one of three projects that have been “realised in a very special way through interdisciplinary cooperation”. In addition, the building has won the  German Sustainability Award 2019 from the German Sustainable Building Council (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen or DGNB) in the ‘Sustainable Building’ category.

Zumtobel. The Light.

The St Martin Tower in Frankfurt heralds a new era of office architecture, impressing with both its purist design language and a genuine commitment to active social responsibility. The lighting concept designed by architects msm meyer of schmitz-morkramer with Zumtobel is the foundation of the whole St Martin Tower complex. Close collaboration between the likes of K. Dörflinger Gesellschaft für Elektroplanung mbH & Co. KG from Allendorf (electrical engineering) and EGT Gebäudetechnik GmbH from Triberg (building technology) enabled efficient and effective realisation of the initial plans. Offices, childcare facilities, a fitness centre, ancillary rooms and an underground car park - many aspects united by one impressive lighting solution using LED luminaires from Zumtobel.

Built by Immo Hansa Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, this office complex meets the highest standards of architecture, design and quality. The elegant and vertically oriented light metal facade, housing 18 office floors with a total of 17,740-square-metres of rentable space, contains a large number of workplaces close to a window. Opal light channels embedded in the walls with integrated intercom facilities give the elevator lobbies a distinct air of elegance and PANOS infinity LED downlights help spread a pleasant lighting atmosphere throughout the hallways.

A variety of office layouts are possible. Classic individual offices offer scope for creative freedom and the utmost privacy, whilst open-plan offices encourage team-oriented cooperation. However, this kind of flexible interior design naturally places high demands on the lighting solution. The SEQUENCE LED luminaire creates a pleasant all-round atmosphere. The customised SEQUENCE track also guarantees the necessary flexibility required for new tenants or future redevelopment. The energy efficiency achieved during use is equally important. This task is expertly handled by the LUXMATE LITENET lighting management system.

The exquisite lighting solution is not just all about the interior – it also adds a welcoming level of visibility to the building when the sun goes down. The SEQUENCE track has been installed on all floors of the tower, as well as in the 7-storey core of the development with 7,536-square-metres of rentable space. The generously proportioned external plaza, intended as a central location for communication and exchanges, has an internal equivalent in the form of the foyer. Spanning two storeys with a marbled dark grey natural stone floor, this imposing area is illuminated by a series of PANOS infinity LED downlights. Step inside and the eye is inevitably drawn to a mosaic of the austere monk St Martin, the namesake of the project, which is beautifully showcased with DIAMO wallwashers. The reception desk, where DIAMO LED downlights also feature, is more than just about controlling access. It is designed to be an initial contact point for all kinds of interaction. The foyer leads onto a modern 600-square-metre gastro-experience world with integrated coffee bar. In line with the rest of the building, employees and visitors are welcomed during the day by an open and light-filled atmosphere. In the darker hours, special versions of the multi-functional SUPERSYSTEM LED lighting tool add to the ambience with its unique charm.

The atmosphere in the conference rooms is perfectly enhanced by the lighting solution. CARDAN LED recessed luminaires, mounted at specified intervals, can be swivelled though 30 degrees.

Zumtobel. The Light.

Every day, Kaspersky Lab's virus scanners detect more than 300,000 new harmful files. In order to achieve this, more than 1,600 staff members of the Russian software company work at the head office in Moscow alone. What they definitely need to do their exacting job effectively is a quiet atmosphere and bright rooms. Therefore, when the new offices were planned, creation of a stress-free environment providing maximum convenience for staff members was a top priority.

Of course, the same high standards applied to the lighting solutions: apart from traditional offices, the right light for flexible work situations had to be created, with flexibility and customisability being decisive criteria. Sustainable building was also very important to the company, and required the architects and designers involved to install building services based on efficiency and environmental compatibility.

As far as the lighting solution was concerned, Zumtobel provided major support: the uniformly illuminated SLOTLIGHT II LED light line was introduced as an interior design feature throughout the premises. It highlights the purist design of the new headquarters and cannot fail to impress on account of its light output ratio and efficiency. It can be arranged in the room as required, provides beneficial light for pleasant general lighting, and creates perfect lighting conditions without any annoying reflections on tablets or displays when people meet in informal communication areas. The circular design of the opal ONDARIA LED luminaire provides a soft accent in the otherwise linear design. ONDARIA, too, creates a harmonious atmosphere in rooms and areas reserved for communication.

In the offices, the AERO II pendant luminaire ensures excellent lighting quality at the workstations. WaveGuide technology combined with the MPO+ micro-pyramidal optic provides the requisite scope for arranging the desks independently of the luminaires. Thanks to the possibility of controlling the indirect and direct light components separately, just one luminaire is enough to create a variety of lighting scenes and provide the right light for every task. The integral lighting solution is completed by the ONLITE emergency lighting system, which once again demonstrates that sustainability and good design make an unbeatable team.

Zumtobel. The Light.

Symantec Offices Dubai – A modern office concept

A sustainable solution reflecting a company’s image

ACE Headquarters – An environmental friendly solution

Associated Consulting Engineers (ACE) is a global consulting and engineering firm established over 50 years ago. Staffed and organized to provide "multi-disciplinary" architectural and engineering consulting with quality services to their clients. The headquarters are based in Beirut Lebanon where Zumtobel has realized a lighting solution with main focus on energy efficiency.

The office of ACE Consulting is a full LED solution from back of house to front of house. The speciality is that the whole building needed to maintain a total density of < 9W/m2. Only Zumtobel was able to achieve the correct requirements for an office environment, while maintaining the green requirements of the project.

The office space is illuminated with the iF Design product PANOS Infinity. The downlight provides a uniform diffuse light distribution throughout the task and general areas. The excellent colour rendering is ensured through red/white LED technology which reproduces nearly the entire light spectrum. With a system light output of up to 84 lm/W, PANOS INFINITY is twice as efficient as conventional downlights, on average. The wide range of the PANOS Infinity family allowed maximum design freedom using the round, square and surface mounted options.

Interacting with the architecture and adding a special design feature ACE consulting decided for the surface mounted option of PANOS Infinity in the staircases of the building.

Straight lines had to be maintained on the executive floor and in the boardrooms of the office.
Soothingly pure light in uniformly illuminated lines made SLOTLIGHT LED an excellent fit. The light lines guarantee an outstanding lighting effect. Compared with a T16 continuous-row system SLOTLIGHT LED boasts an impressive increase in efficiency. In the general areas of the building SLOT LIGHT LED provides guidence with a calm diffuse light.

Powerful accents are set in the lobby areas with the diamond among LED downlights - DIAMO. The DIAMO downlight features an impressively compact housing for ceiling cut-outs with a diameter of only 68 mm, providing plenty of design freedom for a wide variety of indoor applications. DIAMO enhances both prestigious and functional areas in offices.

The full LED solution is one of the reasons ACE headquarters qualifies for LEED certification.

"In the process for receiving a green building certification our main challenges were to minimize our energy consumption. The LED lighting solution that we utilized from Zumbtobel managed to reduce our consumption as an overall building by 30%. Had these solutions not been made available the building would not have the capability to qualify as a green building."
Hani N. Hakim, Chairman, Associated Consulting Engineers (ACE) International

Zumtobel. The Light.

The One New Change shopping and office complex, designed by the French architect Jean Nouvel and developed by Land Securities, undoubtedly boasts the largest and most impressive mirror in London’s inner city. Ever-changing fragmented images of the mighty Saint Paul’s Cathedral are reflected in the dramatic, multi-faceted façade. The global law firm K&L Gates has set up business on two of the building’s four office floors.

Washington-based architects LSM designed the 10,000 square metre office area in cooperation with lighting designer Christopher Seider of Seider Design in Berlin. “For the international expansion of K&L Gates, we developed a clear and modern aesthetic with a unique synergy of light, spatial expression and incorporating of artwork,” says Debra Lehman-Smith, design partner at LSM. “Important aspects of this concept are the use of daylight and integration with the surrounding environment.”

From the reception area, the café and the large conference rooms, one has a direct view of the dome of the Baroque cathedral amidst multifarious reflections. The interplay of space and illusion is so typical of that period in history and it continues in the contemporary manner in the K&L Gates interior spaces. Customised continuous row SLOTLIGHT from Zumtobel provide the basic lighting by accenting the edges of the ceiling planes and columns. The light axes are mirrored in the numerous transparent glass interior walls, overlapped with fragmented Baroque images.

The continuous row lighting also serves to subtly delineate the different areas of the office: while a colour temperature of 3,000 K dominates the general areas, the workspaces are illuminated with 4,000 K.

The result of this intensive cooperation between the architect, lighting designer and luminaire manufacturer is a simple, elegant and characteristic continuum of lines, images and space. Or, as the architect Debra Lehman-Smith says: “We have been working with K&L Gates for nearly 20 years. But the London project is truly the pinnacle of this process.”

Zumtobel. The Light.

“More convenience with less energy” is the motto of the architect Dietmar Eberle for the new six-story building “2226” in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg. The name of the building “2226” refers to the temperature spectrum between 22 and 26 degrees Celsius, which is perceived as pleasant by most people around the world. Thanks to an ingenious system consisting of traditional and modern construction methods, this temperature is maintained constantly in the building – without the use of heating or air conditioning. Instead, Dietmar Eberle relies on the optimal utilisation of daylight, high ceilings and large room depths, effective air circulation and solid walls.

With the aid of innovative software it is also possible to take into account the weather conditions and the number of people present in the building. For this revolutionary architecture project Zumtobel developed a suitable lighting concept that fulfils the architect’s high standards of efficiency, design and multi-functionality.

With an area of nearly 2,500 square metres the office building houses Eberle’s architecture studio “be baumschlager eberle”, as well as other offices, a cafeteria and two famous galleries. The light solution is optimally adapted to the different lighting requirements. The decorative LINARIA luminaire provides for general lighting and ideal light conditions for orientation of the residents and visitors throughout the building. Optimal illumination of the office workplaces is ensured by functional and aesthetic standing luminaires. LED spots of the PANOS INFINITY series deliver very high-quality light for homogeneous general illumination of the traffic areas on the office floor.

Like a huge, 120 metre long wafer bar the new Illwerke Centre Montafon (IZM) stands between the street and the visitors’ parking lot, pointing out toward the lake. With a usable area of 10,000 square metres, the five-storey hydro-power competence centre of the Vorarlberg Illwerke AG is one of the world’s biggest office buildings erected using hybrid timber construction. The building was planned by the Vorarlberg architect Hermann Kaufmann. On the basis of a master plan from Kuess / Hörburger, Kaufmann emerged as the winner from a total of 13 competitors.

His concept: the entire building was based on a modular principle with serial components. Surface-joined pillars integrated in the façade support wood-concrete composite elements, which are held in the middle axis by a steel girder. The wood façade itself is protected by canopies from the effects of weather and overheating in the summer. If the current capacity for 270 employees should ever prove to be insufficient, additional storeys can be added to the building at any time. The necessary static measures have already been taken.

Inside, the foyer is very impressive with a coloured light installation by Miriam Prantl. The interior would of otherwise, been dominated by wood. The artificial lighting of the interior takes this into account: with the exception of the conventional luminaires in the basement, all luminaires are executed as LED versions. Essentially, the lighting consists of custom LED light lines that are adapted to the exact characteristics of the different areas and emphasise the extremely long length of the office building. All workplaces are located near the large window areas on both sides to ensure the best possible combination of daylight and artificial light.

The design of the ceiling as a heating/cooling ceiling required the use of surface-mounted instead of recessed ceiling luminaires. With a micro prism lens and a UGR value below 19, they provide optimal, homogeneous and glare-free light at the workplace. In addition, the approximately 1,000 luminaires were manufactured in a customised size of 100 x 1,845 millimetres and arranged to enable future flexibility of the workplace layout.

Linear luminaires (SUPERSYSTEM special versions) installed in the middle zones of the offices had to be integrated to fit exactly into the pre-fabricated architectural elements. They illuminate the communication or retreat areas which are furnished in colourful contrast to the wood appearance. The 40 millimetre wide LED light lines are combined with oak trim over a length of several metres. The disguise is perfect – not the luminaire, but only the light is visible.

All luminaires are connected to daylight sensors and motion detectors. Due to the HVAC engineering and lighting concept, the IZM was designed as a green building. It was also awarded a gold certificate by the Austrian Society for Sustainable Real Estate Management (ÖGNI).

Zumtobel. The Light.

With dignity the mighty Hercules statue keeps watch over the conference hall in the former pumping station on Hallesches Ufer in Berlin, where the art collector and entrepreneur Christian Boros now has his publishing house and communication agency. Built in the neo-renaissance style, the pumping station was in operation for 100 years until the 1980s, when it became the Lapidarium, a museum for the historic figures from the city’s collection of  sculptures.

Untouched by time, the colossal cast stone figures still stand in the protected monument to technology. Employees and customers are no longer met at the entrance by history buffs, but rather by Mercury, the patron saint of merchants, and Borussia, the female personification of Prussia. The landmarked and protected historic structure was discreetly enhanced by integrating a black concrete sculpture, which complements the historic structure at an appropriate distance in order not to violate the monument protection regulations.

The areas and functions thus created interconnect with the surrounding main hall, without diminishing its spatial qualities. The few new materials, such as the dyed concrete, oiled oak, bronze and the dark floor, will age with dignity and leave their own historic trace – just like Hercules.

Zumtobel. The Light.

The Al Bahar Towers are the newest addition to the Abu Dhabi skyline. For the structure, which consists of two cylindrical towers each with a height of 150 m, Aedas architects together with the engineering firm Arup developed an innovation for then extremely hot and sunny climatic conditions in Abu Dhabi. The façade, inspired by Arabian architecture, offers thermal protection while simultaneously allowing optimal use of the solar energy. All of these measures combined reduce the CO₂ emissions of the Al Bahar Towers, built in accordance with the LEED standard, by 40%.

Like hardly any other Italian city, the fashion metropolis of Milan strives for ecological balance and sustainability. This can be seen at the new headquarters of the world’s second largest telecommunications company: Vodafone. Through the intelligent use of resources, Vodafone Village, consisting of three networked buildings, has succeeding in reducing the environmental impact of more than 3,000 workplaces by half. A LEED Silver Certificate underlines the ambitious plans of the architects Dante O. Benini & Partner, which also demands maximum performance on the part of the involved partners.

On an area of more than 67,000 m² Zumtobel implemented a versatile lighting solution that not only saves energy and minimises maintenance, but also fulfils the high standards with respect to aesthetics and light quality. The solution provides a broad range of lighting functions: In the foyer, auditorium and skybar the architecture is masterfully enhanced to create a pleasant atmosphere, while ideal lighting conditions in the offices facilitate the diverse tasks performed there. Due to their comprehensive product portfolio Zumtobel were able to implement the right lighting solution for all areas of the facilities, including integration of a central emergency light control system, which not only ensures employee safety, but also contributes to the sustainable concept of the building through energy efficiency and user-friendly maintenance.

Zumtobel. The Light.

An entirely new type of modern working space was created at Google’s new offi ce premises on Buckingham Palace Road, London Victoria. No more long corridors, boring open-plan offices or austere conference rooms; instead, what you fi nd there is lively colours, stylish yet functional furniture and a splendid lighting ambience.

For the offices of the search engine giant, the London-based architecture and interior design studio Penson developed a completely new concept incorporating a combination of shrewd functions and some really clever and fresh thinking workplace strategies. The floors provide a mixture of different spaces and functions, ranging from a coffee lab, lounges, and a music studio, to plenty of very clever collaboration and working spaces. Most walls across the space are magnetic white board laminates, which allow scribbles across the entire floor. In addition to spacious areas for work and recreation, small nooks and crannies for people to use alone or in groups have also been provided.

The target this architectural masterpiece aims at is always the same: the space has to work around Google staff and not the other way round. The lighting concept had to follow the same principles: luminaires perfectly in line with the architecture and with the users’ requirements. Correspondingly, the lighting solution developed by Zumtobel creates workplace conditions in which people feel at ease as well as concentrated and motivated in their work – whether due to the soft lines of Ondaria circular luminaires in the conference rooms or the excellent quality of light provided by the LED downlights and light lines in the group and break rooms.

Zumtobel. The Light.

A gentle welcome to London

On account of its dimensions alone, the 10.5 m high foyer of the new Ropemaker Place office tower located on the outskirts of London compels people to enter the building, stop and look around. Without fail, their eyes will be caught by the huge windows, the cosy seating area, the walls covered with walnut panels and, eventually, the ceiling. Gently curved like a wave, the ceiling is a truly spectacular structure. From here, the spacious lobby and the area extending to the porch are conspicuously flooded with pleasant light.

The three-dimensional, wave-shaped ceiling system has been developed jointly by Zumtobel and Arup Associates. The ceiling's illuminated, wave-shaped curves are made of white micro-perforated PPC sheet steel with an integrated acoustic pad. A transparent acrylic diffuser conceals individually controllable fluorescent lamps serving as direct/indirect sources of light. In addition, waveguide technology has been used to ensure very good glare control, providing balanced lighting with brilliant lighting quality.

Zumtobel. The Light.

Energy-efficient interplay of daylight and artificial lighting in offices

Growing staff numbers and the desire to bring various office locations together under one roof was the reason why the HDI-Gerling property insurance group commissioned a new group head office building in the north-eastern outskirts of Hanover. The architectural competition launched for this purpose was won by ingenhoven architects, who designed an administrative building with a floor space of 75,000 m2, including a central atrium and office wings arranged like the sails of a windmill. The discreet elegance of the building immediately strikes the eye.

It was important to the building owners that the building was adequately sized, designed in an aesthetically pleasing way and provided workplaces of equivalent quality, but they also wanted the building to consume as little energy and resources as possible. The essential components of the environmentally compatible building concept comprise triple glazing, thermally activated ceilings and parapets, recuperators connected to the atrium intended to act as a climate buffer, the utilisation of geothermal energy for heating and cooling – and all the offices were fitted with energy-efficient, flexible lighting solutions by Zumtobel.

Artificial lighting solution for all task areas
The design brief for the office lighting concept developed through close liaison between Zumtobel, Tropp Lighting Design and the architects was to develop an aesthetically attractive, flexible, intelligently controllable and efficient lighting solution that had to work in all office premises without any supplementary luminaires. A total of 3,996 double-length ECOOS pendant luminaires positioned along the room axes were used. In combination with a modern lighting control unit, it is easy to add just the right amount of artificial lighting, as required. The fact that control units can be used in any office at any time to individually override pre-set automatic system actions was an essential factor in securing user acceptance.

Flexibility and energy efficiency even for future room configurations
Easy installation/removal of modular ECOOS pendant luminaires also creates the best basis for responding to any future changes in floor plan configurations such as dividing large spaces up into smaller units. A variant model with additional centrally and laterally located LED downlights is used to realise special lighting scenes in Management Board rooms and several larger conference rooms.

Zumtobel. The Light.

The SALEWA / Oberalp Group has built its new headquarters in compliance with all aspects of sustainability. A building has been created that perfectly matches the geographic situation and the SALEWA brand, as well as the history of the company, offering staff members an ideal environment to burgeon and be successful.

Distinguished with the “Work&Life” certificate of the ClimateHouse agency, the building fulfils all criteria with respect to ecological, economic and social sustainability. In this context, the photovoltaic system installed on the roof deserves special mention: it supplies the entire building with electricity autonomously, providing for a marked reduction in CO2 emissions. Apart from a day nursery, staff members dispose of a fitness centre and many other facilities.

		“We had the vision to create a building where employees would feel at ease and which would at the same time adequately represent the SALEWA brand to the outside world.” Heiner Oberrauch, President SALEWA / Oberalp Group
		“The biggest challenge was to establish a connection with nature and with the surrounding environment.” Filippo Pagliani, architect, Park Associati

Integral energy and lighting concept
The integral lighting concept of the building is literally a shining example. As it was a prerequisite that the staff should be able to see the Alpine world at any time, no blinds were installed to protect the office and exhibition rooms from the sun. Moreover, constant lighting conditions were required inside the building despite different daytime brightness levels. In order to meet these requirements, the dimmable IBLA luminaire was developed for the offices by Park Associati in collaboration with Zumtobel.
In the conference rooms, too, unobtrusive recessed luminaires were installed that offer variable lighting options to be used in a variety of ways, such as for meetings or presentations; thanks to the balanced light distribution, a bright and pleasant atmosphere is created in the rooms. From application examples and trials conducted by Zumtobel, we know that optimum room lighting not only improves the staff members' well-being, but also enhances their performance and willingness to communicate. For the exhibition and reception rooms, uniform general lighting is provided by batten luminaires and focussed display lighting via spotlights, ensuring individual illumination of the products on display.

 

“The new SALEWA headquarters reflect all the needs of a contemporary dynamic company. By complying with SALEWA's wishes for an ecologically, economically and socially sustainable building, we have managed to create a place of interaction and communication between staff members, customers and business partners. The lighting concept makes an essential contribution to creating a working and living environment where people feel at ease and which is in harmony with its environment at the same time.” Filippo Pagliani, architect, Park Associati

Development of IBLA special luminaire
The dimmable luminaire offers both indirect and direct light. In this way, it contributes essentially to the pleasant atmosphere in the office rooms, at the same time ensuring ideal lighting conditions without glare at the computer workstations through its direct light component.

Zumtobel. The Light.

New look after successful facelift

Inside the historic walls of the 9,500 square metre administrative district office (Landratsamt) of Marktoberdorf, visitors are welcomed in modern rooms including open service areas. Light has played a major role in the office's refurbishment, and is now also a key factor in terms of creative design and commercial success. Compared to the former lighting system, energy consumption has been cut by 43 percent, while lighting quality has been increased at the same time. The building was successfully refurbished and extended by the architects' studio of Stadtmüller.Burkhard.Architekten, who claimed that “not only should old and new building components be sensitively combined, but the quality of work for staff members should be improved and the service character of the office should be made noticeable”.

All in all, almost 500 metres of the narrow SLOTLIGHT light lines provide a striking feature in the public areas and circulation zones. Installed flush in the ceiling, they produce uniform ambient brightness with light distribution barely interrupted by shadows. This is made possible by so-called Tetris technology incorporating overlapping T16 light sources and a separate reflector. This solution is impressive in terms of both lighting technology and design: thanks to PMMA luminaire diffusers, the light lines can be arranged in the room as required, independent of the position of the workstations, without producing reflections on computer displays.

The formerly dark corridors are brightened up by fresh, lively colours and contemporary luminaires: on every floor, LINARIA batten luminaires make it easy for people to find their way and ensure pleasant lighting conditions. As a prerequisite of energy-efficient operation, all luminaires are dimmable and fitted with presence detectors. To illuminate the office workstations, the electrical consultants opted for a direct/indirect luminaire. With light output ratio levels of up to 93 percent, the CLARIS II pendant luminaire meets the high requirements placed on energy-efficient solutions providing first-rate visual comfort. This solution perfectly combines a pleasant room ambience ensuring a good working atmosphere and energy-saving building operation.

Zumtobel. The Light.

In the trend of the times

The renovation of the Angel Building in the North of London, which included an extension by 9,300 m², is impressive both from an architectural and an energetic point of view. Low energy requirements and high quality lighting were central conditions specified for this major renovation that transformed a six-storey 1980s office building into a BREEAM recognised ‚Green Building‘. Producing a high standard working environment with low energy consumption was difficult in the sense that the designers had to come to terms with the restrictions of the original building: the location of the building in the corner of the plot means that one of its facades is curved, so that lighting fixtures with special lengths had to be used. At the same time, the lighting was required to fulfil high quality standards with regard to efficiency and similarity to daylight. The work places in the building are therefore illuminated with a dynamic lighting system – using DALI controlled direct/indirect luminaires in two colour temperatures (3000 K and 4000 K) supplied by Zumtobel.

Zumtobel. The Light.

Two applications, one solution

Alexander Bürkle GmbH have extended their site by building a 2,600 m² warehouse and an adjacent office building. As a participant in Freiburg’s ECOFIT promotion scheme, this Freiburg-based electrical wholesaler seizes every opportunity to ensure environmentally compatible and economically efficient operation by using the very latest technologies. Zumtobel’s innovative lighting concept is making a valuable contribution towards achieving the goal of reducing energy consumption without compromising excellent lighting quality.

The architecture of the new three-storey administrative building was ideal for exploiting the benefits of LEDs. The office premises were built without any columns or supporting elements to ensure flexible floor space usage. Zumtobel developed an equally modern office lighting concept based on a customisedt CRAYON LED downlight solution: 122 square CRAYON LED downlights fitted with 48 W lamps in a special 625 mm size model were installed flush with the ceiling. Their warm light colour (4000 K) not only creates pleasant, uniform ambient lighting; the luminaires also have a long service life, produce colour-stable light, and are maintenance free and dimmable.

The warehouse is characterised by functional, resource-conserving architecture with many skylights that let in as much daylight as possible. Artificial lighting is deliberately only used to achieve the required level of illuminance if there is insufficient natural light. Those responsible opted to use the tried-and-tested TECTON continuous-row lighting system for ambient lighting in the warehouse. This modular continuous row system offers optimal light for industrial applications and guarantees illuminance of 300 lux in conformity with applicable standards. The system can be extended flexibly, and reflectors and emergency luminaires can be added.

CRAYON LED downlights with IP 44 protection were installed in wet locations. This 12 W downlight achieves the same lighting levels as a 50 W halogen lamp or 18 W compact fluorescent lamp. This makes it possible to replace conventional downlights by more efficient, more durable LED luminaires with little effort.

Zumtobel. The Light.

The LifeCycle Tower ONE (LCT ONE) in Dornbirn is the world’s first high-rise building with unencapsulated wood-hybrid construction. Officially opened in November 2012, the building impressively demonstrates the future of urban construction, in which innovative technologies, the latest scientific discoveries and a resource-conserving construction method were implemented masterfully. The absolute novelty of the seven-story building, which was built by Cree GmbH as the owner and a subsidiary of the Rhomberg Group, as well as the architecture studio Hermann Kaufmann: the structural elements are made of wood and are not covered with panels. This means that the unclad wood structure of the wood can be experienced inside the LCT ONE, which not only saves resources, but is also part of the fire prevention concept.

Constructed in a modular design, the modules of the LCT ONE were pre-fabricated in the factory and then installed at the construction site, which cuts the construction time by 50% compared with conventional building methods, as well as eliminating sources of errors and ensuring a high level of quality and a reliable cost calculation. In addition, resources are used optimally throughout the entire life cycle of the building to increase energy efficiency and significantly improve the CO₂ balance. The LCT ONE sets new standards with respect to sustainability and quality and requires maximum performance on the part of everyone involved.

Zumtobel developed an innovative lighting solution for the LCT ONE for maximum light convenience, reduced energy costs and increased efficiency. Besides ultra-modern office lighting, the light control system LUXMATE LITENET was used throughout the building, combining such complex functions as daylight-based lighting management, control of blinds, presence monitoring, integration of emergency light and pre-defined room profiles in a central and user-friendly unit. Optimal utilisation of daylight, in combination with a total of 112 presence sensors, saves up to 75% of the energy needed for lighting.

Zumtobel. The Light.

Award-winning architecture with top-notch lighting design

On account of its resource-saving construction, the new building of the LVM insurance company has won the North Rhine-Westphalia award for architecture, residential construction and urban development on the subject of “Energy-efficient building for the future”. For the building, geothermal heating and – in summer – cooling is used, among other things; it is partly operated with solar energy, and its toilets are flushed with rainwater. The central point of the concept was to combine daylight and artificial lighting in a feasible manner. This is made possible by intelligent LUXMATE LITENET software: all the luminaires and blinds in the building are controlled by this lighting management system. In this way, artificial lighting is adjusted to the natural lighting conditions, which allows for energy savings of as much as 60 percent while providing perfect lighting quality.

The building is subdivided into several side arms branching off from a main corridor. Between these office blocks, there are glass-roofed inner courtyards, which are richly planted and serve as oases of calm. Thanks to the excellent lighting technology they incorporate, the COPA pendant luminaires mounted here provide elegant accent lighting for trees and shrubs. An architectural eye-catcher of the new building are the small multi-coloured panels incorporated into the glazed façade. For this purpose, small strips of film in different colours were applied to the high-insulation windows.

In compliance with the delicate building structure, the FREELINE direct/indirect luminaire easily blends into the office interiors. While precisely aligned direct light provides sufficient brightness in the task areas, indirect light reflected from the ceiling creates balanced shadow detail. The pendant luminaire features flexible illuminance. Fitted with a multi-watt electronic ballast, a higher-output 80 W fluorescent lamp can easily be fitted instead of a 49 W fluorescent lamp.

In the colourful cafeteria, a cosy feel-good atmosphere is created by PANOS downlights, which have been laterally recessed into the suspended ceilings, making the room appear higher and more pleasant.

Zumtobel. The Light.