You have to look twice to recognise this building: the picture shows Building A 10 (Haardtring) after completion of the energy-efficient renovation currently underway. It is getting a new façade, a new heating system for the entire Haardtring campus section and a new ventilation system. The construction project is being carried out under the auspices of the State Building and Real Estate Agency of Hesse (LBIH) and began in August 2024. According to the current planning status, completion is scheduled for the start of the 2027/28 winter semester.
This ambitious project was made possible by the COME-Hochschulen construction programme of the Hessian state government. It aims to increase the energy efficiency of Hessian university buildings and reduce CO2 emissions. As part of the COME programme, h_da submitted projects for the renovation of the A buildings on Haardtring and was awarded the contract for the current construction project. The new façade of A 10 is designed to provide optimal sun protection, especially in view of increasingly hot summers. For this purpose, horizontal and vertical shading elements will be installed. Compared to blinds or similar systems, the fixed shading elements have the advantage that they do not require maintenance for the operation of the building.
The construction project was originally intended to be carried out during ongoing operations. However, further planning and the preparation of a noise assessment report revealed that the noise pollution from the construction site would be too great. The building has therefore been completely empty since July 2025. As a replacement, a container building with seminar rooms was erected on the lawn between the canteen and the hydraulic engineering hall at the beginning of the 25/26 winter semester. The necessary office space was rented in D 20 (Schöfferstraße 12), and the existing space was also redensified. The print shop has been relocated to A 11 (1st floor, former student union bistro) for the duration of the construction project and will move back to A 10 once construction is complete. The total cost of the construction project amounts to just under 16 million euros, half of which will be covered by the state of Hesse as part of the COME programme. The h_da share will be financed from reserves for construction projects.