Minergie/sustainability “Certified green”: Swissmedic's building strategy

Swissmedic is committed to an ecological and resource-efficient approach to infrastructure management. Since 2019, all Swissmedic properties have been certified with the MINERGIE® quality label. This standard ensures enhanced conservation of the building’s fabric and lower energy costs. Marco Osswald, Facility Management specialist, explains the specific challenges associated with the certification of protected historic buildings, the sustainability strategy and the reasons for making even greater use of renewable energy in future.

Energy-efficient buildings

All three Swissmedic sites in Bern, on Hallerstrasse, Erlachstrasse and Freiburgstrasse, are certified to the Swiss Minergie label, which is awarded to highly energy-efficient new buildings and refurbished old buildings. Based on the standards of the SIA (Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects), the quality label specifies the requirements that must be met in respect of the building envelope, energy consumption, air renewal and thermal insulation in the summer – graded according to the building category. Marco Osswald puts it in a nutshell: "Basically, it involves the energy efficiency of buildings and the use of renewable energy sources, which means that it also protects the climate."

"It’s all about the energy efficiency of buildings and the use of renewable energy – so it's basically to do with combating climate change."

The certification process was different for each of the Swissmedic properties: the building on Freiburgstrasse was newly constructed in 2013 to Minergie standards from the outset. "We informed the certification body that we wanted to build according to Minergie and had to submit all the required documents in advance. Because of the laboratory premises with their relatively high energy requirement, numerous detailed documents were needed– a rather heavy bureaucratic workload", recalls Marco Osswald. By contrast, the certification of the building on Erlachstrasse, which was completely renovated in 2015, was comparatively straightforward. "The requirements for renovations are somewhat less strict, because the circumstances can vary considerably from one building to the next", explains Osswald. The greatest challenge in terms of Minergie was the main building on Hallerstrasse. This protected property was constructed in 1877 and totally renovated in 2004. "We submitted 82 forms and calculations, as well as 46 plans and functional diagrams. And we were able to show that the consumption figures satisfied the Minergie requirements. Nevertheless, the Minergie inspectors initially refused certification. Only when we submitted a further 42 documents and two supplementary calculations did we receive the green light. It was a huge bureaucratic effort – but one that ultimately paid off", sums up the Facility Management specialist, adding: "Our aim was for all Swissmedic buildings to be certified with the Minergie label – and we succeeded".

Swissmedic buildings to Minergie standards

Erlachstrasse

The next steps

Swissmedic is committed to driving its sustainable strategy forward in the future. Special attention will be paid to maintenance. "We are investing substantial resources in maintenance and servicing – so that the service life of equipment is considerably prolonged, which certainly makes sense from the environmental standpoint", explains Marco Osswald. The selection of facilities (e.g. furniture or building services) is an important factor in Swissmedic's sustainability strategy. "We would rather invest a little more in high-quality products and then not have to replace them prematurely – that's our credo", says Osswald. So in relation to the Swissmedic buildings, environmental, economic and social factors are crucial. This has paid off in recent years. "Thanks to the continuous operational optimisation of the building services and the use of energy-efficient technologies, we have managed to steadily reduce our energy consumption over the past few years", sums up Marco Osswald with satisfaction. An example: one by one, all lamps are being fitted with LED bulbs, which use a lot less energy than traditional light sources.

"Our aim was for all Swissmedic buildings to be certified with the Minergie label."

Another milestone in the sustainable energy strategy was the installation of a photovoltaic system on the pitched roof of Hallerstrasse 7. This industrial building was used from 1877 to 2003 as a printing press before the company’s owners, the Stämpfli family, sold the building to Swissmedic. Following extensive refurbishment, Swissmedic moved into the imposing protected historic building. For the installation of the photovoltaic system, the Facility Management team had to coordinate the planned works from an early stage and down to the last detail with the cantonal Monument Preservation department. “This process took some time – after all the construction-related aspects and the geometric set-up had been specified, we eventually received approval", explains Marco Osswald. The first half of the roof was renovated in summer 2019 and fitted with solar modules, while the second half is due to be renovated by mid-2021 and fitted with solar panels. In summer last year, a photovoltaic system came on stream at Freiburgstrasse 139. Accordingly, Swissmedic relies on, and will further extend the use of, renewable energy. "With the commissioning of the first two, and soon the third, photovoltaic system, we can continue to reduce the amount of purchased electrical energy – so we are well placed for the future", stresses Marco Osswald.

Freiburgstrasse

Hallerstrasse

Facility Management – the tasks

The tasks of the four-strong team are extensive: building management (operation and management of properties, incl. the technical facilities), maintenance and servicing, planning alteration works, etc. "A key aspect of our work is the facility management that accompanies planning and construction. This includes the optimisation of buildings from the standpoint of use and management", explains Osswald. His own skills are especially needed at Freiburgstrasse. Thanks to this technical background, he has the expertise required to monitor the sophisticated installations with the building management system (building control software) and to make any necessary adjustments. "The monitoring of the laboratory premises at Freiburgstrasse is very important because every detail must be right – the room temperature, the air flows, the energy supply…". In the building management sector, Swissmedic has concluded over 200 contracts with external service providers. The Facility Management team keeps in constant contact with these providers, coordinates jobs and serves as the first point of contact in the event of problems. So what does a normal working day look like in times of corona? "Most of our work cannot, of course, be carried out from home. We are on site and ensure that everything works properly. After all, some Swissmedic personnel are still working in offices or laboratories, and we want to offer them the same level of service as in normal times", explains Marco Osswald. The Facility Management team is holding the fort and ensuring the smooth operation of buildings – even in these pandemic times.

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