Town Hall Extension, Bretzfeld, Germany

The municipality is extending its existing town hall with a two-storey timber building.
The climate and energy concept developed relies on the use of little but robust technology and aims for low energy requirements as well as low investment and operating costs.
Fresh air is supplied to the offices through natural ventilation by opening the windows. One-sided night-time ventilation and external sun protection ensure comfort in summer. Underfloor heating warms the office areas in winter. Cross-side night ventilation is possible for the wedding hall and ceiling fans ensure comfort in summer, even when there are large numbers of people.
An air heat pump supplies heat. The roof, particularly the south-west facing area, generates 67 MWh/a of renewable electricity with its integrated photovoltaic tiles (82 kWp).
The total energy requirement of the building's operation is equivalent to around 27 tons of CO2 emissions per year. As the amount of energy generated on site offsets 32 tons of CO2 per year, the building's operation is climate-neutral.
The construction with ceilings, beams, columns and façade made of wood ensures a low CO2 footprint of the new building with the lowest possible embodied energy.