Highest LEED certifications for new headquarters with Forster profile systems

With the Forster Campus, Forster Profile Systems has opened its new headquarters in Romanshorn. The Campus houses a production and logistics hall, a technology centre and an office building in a state-of-the-art building complex covering over 30,000 square metres. The project represents an important milestone in the future-oriented development of the company and is the first commercial building complex in Switzerland to be awarded LEED “Gold” certification. The new office building on site was even awarded the “Platinum” rating. The Campus demonstrates Forster’s holistic understanding of sustainability in architecture, meeting the highest standards in all aspects from planning and construction through to interior design, building use and maintenance. The Forster profile systems used throughout the Campus play an important role here.

With the Forster Campus, Forster Profile Systems is laying the foundations for the company to enjoy a sustainable future based on carbon-neutral production and architecture that serves as a role model. The blueprints drawn up by local architecture office Gisel + Partner Architekten are based on a holistic understanding of sustainability that consistently integrates environmental, economic and social aspects. The result is a modern building complex that is not only functional and aesthetically appealing, but also meets the highest sustainability standards. In addition to using resources sparingly, this also includes minimising the impact on the environment and establishing a working environment that focuses on the needs of the employees on site.

Production, technology and well-being in perfect harmony

The Forster Campus consists of three buildings that have been constructed in line with the highest sustainability standards. The largest structure is the production and logistics hall with an automated high-bay warehouse, where all processes are digitally optimised. The adjacent technology centre offers space for the training centre, the production workshop and a test centre. The office building blends in elegantly between the two other buildings and is designed to offer the employees healthy and motivational working conditions and promote the sharing of expertise. Recreational areas both inside and outside the building contribute to the sense of well-being.

Consistent minimisation of carbon footprint

The Forster Campus is designed to leave behind as small an environmental footprint as possible. The use of steel that is produced with considerably lower CO2 emissions than conventional steel plays an important role here. Some 1,900 tonnes of this resource-friendly steel was used at the Forster Campus, 900 tonnes of which for the reinforcement of the concrete elements. The commitment to sustainable building and climate protection is also reflected by the intelligent building technology found in the new buildings. This includes a photovoltaic system that meets the energy demands for production and building operations with a maximum annual capacity of up to 1.5 MWp (megawatt peak). Highly efficient heat pumps and the use of process heat from production also ensure the optimal efficiency of the heating and cooling systems. Rainwater is used for flushing the toilets and irrigating the garden areas, while charging points for electric vehicles encourage the employees to switch over to more environmentally friendly mobility solutions. Last but not least, the steel facade, window and door systems developed by Forster and used in the building envelope also help to further reduce the overall energy demands.

Production hall and technology centre: where safety meets energy efficiency

With a floor area of around 10,000 square metres, the new production and logistics hall is the largest of the three buildings on the Forster Campus. Lattice girders made of resource-friendly steel measuring up to 37 metres in length are used in the new building, which has the appearance of an enclosed monolith. The large-surface facades are broken up by fixed glazing in the form of vertical light strips. The fixed glazing continues horizontally on the ground floor – with integrated windows, entrance doors and emergency doors. To meet the highest standards in safety and energy efficiency, all facade elements were designed with the robust forster unico profile system.

The neighbouring technology centre – which is home to a training centre in addition to the production workshop and test centre – is also designed as an opaque cube. In contrast to the production hall, it opens out towards the site with forster thermfix vario Hi mullion/transom glazing. The ground floor can be accessed through forster unico doors, with the entrance and emergency doors combining safety and energy efficiency with a sophisticated design.

The office building: maximum transparency and well-being

The blueprints drawn up by Gisel + Partner Architekten for the Forster Campus followed the guiding principle of designing the three buildings differently without them losing their connection to one another. While the production and logistics hall and the technology centre feature a closed facade design, the office building with LEED “Platinum” certification is characterised by maximum transparency and an inviting openness. In addition to office space, the building is also home to a showroom and cafeteria with outdoor area. The facade with mullion/transom glazing from the forster thermfix vario Hi series has high thermal insulation and ensures maximum levels of natural light and a pleasant indoor climate in the interior spaces. The slim profile system with face widths of 60 millimetres not only allows for impressive field sizes – it is also compatible with other designs from different systems. As a result, the windows on the side-hung elements, emergency doors leading outside and the burglary-resistant sliding entrance door (RC2) all feature the robust forster unico profile system. The strict sound insulation requirements of up to 35 dB in the offices are met on all floors thanks to the butt joint glazing with forster presto xs profile system. As they are made from natural materials, the wooden door leafs with special frame profiles support the friendly atmosphere seen in the bright rooms.

Special solutions in exhibition area

As the showroom in the office building is designed as a two-storey exhibition space, extra-tall door and window elements were used in addition to structural posts in the facade. The showroom on the ground floor can be accessed via an interior sliding door offering maximum transparency – a special construction using the particularly slim forster presto xs profile system. The neighbouring technology centre is accessed via a forster fuego light EI30 fire resistant door. Measuring 3.5 x 5 metres, this door was also developed specially for this application by the in-house engineering team. Two parallel hinged windows from the forster unico series are also installed in the facade – this special solution ensures the efficient ventilation of the showroom.

Romanshorn, Switzerland

Products:

forster thermfix vario Hi mullion/transom glazing

Fixed glazing, entrance and emergency doors, windows and sliding door (RC2) from the forster unico series

Windbreak, sliding doors, office partitions with sliding door from the forster presto xs series

forster unico parallel hinged windows (special solution)

forster fuego light interior doors (oversized, special solution)

Architecture: Gisel + Partner AG, Arbon (CH)

Metal construction: Ernst Fischer AG, Romanshorn (CH); Hochuli Metallbau AG, Wigoltingen (CH); Rey Metallbau AG, Wittenbach (CH); Wehrli Metallbau AG, Bronschhofen (CH)

Client: Forster Profile Systems Ltd, Romanshorn (CH)

Photography: Thomas Hary