From Training Centre to Housing: Re-Use as a Design Principle for Sustainable Construction

The building is being stripped back to its load-bearing structure and carefully redeveloped. Additional new buildings densify the site into a coherent ensemble. The main focus is on reducing embodied carbon and minimising CO₂ emissions through the re-use of existing building components.

As part of the project, Gruner is responsible for developing the demolition, stripping and hazardous material remediation concept, as well as structural engineering for both refurbishment and new construction. Material technology investigations and fire resistance assessments of the existing structure are also being carried out. Completion is scheduled for 2027.

Re-Use Implemented Systematically

For this project, Halter AG, acting as total contractor, is consistently applying re-use principles. As a project partner, Gruner is responsible for the inventory, assessment and preparation of existing building components for re-use. This ensures that suitable elements are systematically identified and integrated into the planning and construction process.

In practice, this means:
• Structural elements are integrated into the new structure
• Reclaimed concrete elements are reused for balconies and access galleries
• Facade panels are repurposed within the outdoor spaces

The result is a continuous material cycle – from inventory and assessment to reintegration on site.

Sustainability in Every Construction Detail

The Hagenbündten project successfully combines ecological, economic and architectural requirements. As a partner for implementing re-use solutions, Gruner contributes its expertise throughout the process, particularly in the redevelopment and integration of existing building structures. In doing so, Gruner plays an important role in creating sustainable solutions with lasting value.