DSM Deutsche Schule Madrid, Madrid, Spain

The programming of the German School Madrid includes a kindergarten, a primary and secondary school, a canteen, an auditorium and a gymnasium. The individual buildings are connected by courtyards, which are partly covered to provide shaded lounge areas for breaks.

The energy concept is based on highly efficient exterior operable shading, the use of thermal storage mass via night time air flushing, naturally preconditioned fresh air from three underground thermal labyrinths and the use of solar energy for hot water and electricity. Mechanical ventilation systems were installed to ensure good air quality and are additionally equipped with heat recovery for areas with many hours of use (classrooms, kindergarten) as well as combined with a thermal labyrinth. Less frequently used areas like the auditorium or the canteen are equipped with an adiabatic humidification of the supply air. Both technologies allow a pre-cooling of the supply air without active cooling. In the thermal labyrinths, the outside air is conditioned by heat exchange with the cool earth, the adiabatic humidification cools the exhaust air by injection of water and the thus activated cooling potential is transferred to the supply air via heat recovery.

The planning team optimized the necessary acoustical ceiling suspension which resulted in about 50% unclad ceiling area, serving as a thermal buffer that is activated by night time air flushing. With the natural preconditioning of fresh air and the activated thermal storage mass it was possible to establish a comfortable indoor climate without an active cooling of the classrooms.

Special category spaces e.g. in the administration are cooled via an absorption chiller, which is fed with the waste heat from a gas-fired CHPs. Roof-installed photovoltaic panels provide electricity and a collector system produces domestic hot water.

2017 Auszeichnung Deutsche Architekturpreis
2016 Special mention Europäischer Architekturpreis "Energie + Architektur"
2011 BMWi-Award „Architektur mit Energie“