Cologne Central Library
Location:
Cologne
Build time:
2024–2027
Client:
Cologne Building Management
Cologne Central Library
Cologne Central Library is undergoing extensive refurbishment and is being transformed into a modern municipal library. Ed. Züblin AG is gutting the building down to its reinforced concrete frame and renovating it in accordance with current standards to improve its energy efficiency, modern building services and interior fit-out.
The Central Library is situated in a central city-centre location, right next to Neumarkt, and was opened on 21 September 1979. The original building was designed by the architects Franz Löwenstein and Franz Lammersen and consists of several interlocking cubes of varying heights. With around 87,000 members, Cologne Central Library is one of the most important libraries in Germany and has become an integral part of the city’s fabric. In 2015, it was honoured with the ‘Library of the Year’ award.
In 2018, the decision was made to undertake a comprehensive refurbishment, which began in 2023 following extensive planning and tendering procedures. This decision played a key role in the City of Cologne’s efforts to achieve its goal of climate neutrality.
The building’s construction and technical fittings are typical of their era and fall significantly short of current requirements for fire safety, sound insulation and thermal insulation, as well as building construction guidelines; this is reflected accordingly in the building’s maintenance costs and energy consumption. Added to this are age-related material weaknesses and damage, as well as indoor pollution from hazardous substances.
The building is undergoing a complete refurbishment; in the first stage, the building will be gutted down to its reinforced concrete skeleton and then rebuilt in accordance with current standards and regulations.
The reconstruction work includes, for example, extensive concrete restoration, the removal of pollutants from the building, a new lift system, new and contemporary floor plans for both the public areas and the administrative offices, a completely new building services system, and interior design highlights tailored to modern users.
The refurbishment project is being carried out by Ed. Züblin AG Cologne, within its ‘Renovation and Refurbishment’ division, and the client is Gebäudewirtschaft Köln.
As the construction project was commissioned prior to the publication of our ‘Best and Beyond’ scope of services, the individual steps were not explicitly followed. However, when applied to the negotiation, commissioning and execution process, the individual service steps were carried out in principle.
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The project is aiming for DGNB ‘Sustainable Construction Site’ certification from the German Sustainable Building Council.
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Key figures
- Gross internal volume (GIV): 58,000 m³
- Gross floor area (GFA): 14,500 m²
- Above ground: 6 storeys
- Underground: 4 storeys
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Construction period
- Start of the major refurbishment: autumn 2023
- Completion without user fit-out, City of Cologne, spring 2027
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Standard operating procedures for construction sites
- Monday to Friday, 7.00 am to 6.00 pm
- Saturday (if required) 7.00 am to 6.00 pm
- As a rule, no work takes place on Sundays and public holidays.
Certified by the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB)
In this project, Ed. Züblin AG is aiming, amongst other things, to use resources efficiently, reduce emissions and ensure health and safety on site. In addition, measures are being implemented to take account of the interests of local residents and the neighbourhood. The construction site has been certified in accordance with the DGNB ‘Sustainable Construction Site’ standard.
Further information on the DGNB system for sustainable construction sites can be found here: https://www.dgnb-system.de/de/gebaeude/baustelle/
Selected measures within the project
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Resource conservation and emissions reduction through LEAN Construction
As part of the lean approach, a production plan with call-off dates (e.g. insulation) was drawn up. Construction production planning is detailed on a weekly basis and adjusted to reflect actual production progress. Changes arising from the construction process are taken into account on an ongoing basis, enabling just-in-time deliveries to be implemented more effectively. This avoids the need for repeat or new orders resulting from subsequent changes to the plan.
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Measures to reduce disruption caused by building works
The project is situated in a central, inner-city location; as such, efforts are being made to minimise the disruption caused by the building site. Key areas of focus include strategies for noise and dust control, as well as the protection of soil and groundwater on the site. In addition, waste prevention measures and a logistics plan designed with the environment and local residents in mind are being implemented.
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Energy management in the construction sector
On-site investigations and comparative analyses help to ensure that project implementation is planned in line with requirements. For example, a large concrete bucket was selected in order to reduce the number of lifts.
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Construction site logistics
The Just-in-Time (JiT) concept is used to coordinate the delivery of materials to the building site in line with actual requirements. Building materials are only transported to the right place at the right time and in the correct quantities when they are actually needed. This makes it possible to reduce the number of journeys and minimise the amount of materials stored on site.
| Certification contact person | Kristina Pors |
| Project contact | Jörg Förstel |
| Construction site address | Josef-Haubrich-Hof 1 50676 Cologne Simone Müller Department Assistant Tel. +49 221 824 - 2565 Züblin Management NRW, Cologne-Bonn Division |
| Download | Press release |
| Link | DGNB: Certification |