Schüco systems on the new office building and production hall: Self-tinting glass and printed textile façade

The company OTTO FUCHS KG, a leading global supplier of components for the aviation, automotive, and engineering industries, has constructed new office buildings and a manufacturing hall in Meinerzhagen, Germany (North Rhine-Westphalia). The investor's sense of innovation is evidenced by the solutions designed by architects from Atelier Christ – aluminum window and facade systems Schüco fitted with electrochromatic smart-tinting glass SageGlass® with sun protection and a textile facade Schüco FACID.

Lightweight metal safety components in cars, airplanes, and engineering technologies have often come from OTTO FUCHS for over 100 years. The trend towards carbon neutrality in recent years has contributed to the growth of the company's lightweight construction division, leading to an increased need for research and development. In 2015, the company decided to place its development teams in one building in Meinerzhagen, Germany, that would meet today's requirements for the working environment. The new office building, referred to as the "technology center" and designed by Atelier Christ, was completed after 22 months of construction, and teams moved in in September 2020. It offers 100 to 150 workspaces and has a total floor area of around 5000 m².

The seven-story cubic structure of the technology center is embedded into the slope at the southeastern edge of the site and is visible from the city center. The upper four floors significantly contribute to the city skyline. Another feature that makes this building exceptional is its façade – fully glazed with a mullion-and-transom facade Schüco FWS 60.HI with fixed elements and vent-opening windows Schüco AWS 75 BS.HI. The integrated double insulating glass is made from electrochromatic glass SageGlass® from Saint-Gobain. The glazed façade operates with a sensor-based daylight control system that automatically tints the glass panels based on sensor measurements to ensure adequate glare protection and thermal insulation during summer months without the need for additional shading elements.

Investors wanted the transparency of the glass façade and natural light to remain unaffected by external shading. Sun protection also needed to function during windy weather. Last but not least, the investor was attracted by the low maintenance costs of the electrochromatic glazing. "You have an unobstructed view outside, even when sunlight streams directly through the windows. Since external shading is not necessary, OTTO FUCHS saves valuable floor space, about 15 centimeters of the façade thickness. At the same time, this pioneering façade technology demonstrates the innovative thinking of the client," says architect Jürgen T. Christ.

Electrochromatic glass SageGlass® from Saint-Gobain was used on all four façades and the roof of the northwest-oriented entrance atrium. It is open to a height of six of the seven floors, allowing daylight to penetrate even into lower areas. In the open galleries around the atrium, there are both large, light-flooded offices and smaller rooms, meeting rooms, and spaces for think tanks, communication zones, and technical support. The full-height glazing of the façade on each floor is vertically divided into three individually controllable zones. The glass has been grouped horizontally. This allows people to work at any time during the day without glare and enjoy optimal daylight conditions regardless of weather. Individual window zones are controlled automatically but can also be regulated manually. This means that each employee can set their own tinting preferences using tablets in the offices, for example for meetings or presentations. The glass panels tint quickly, quietly, and dynamically without disturbing users.

Architects also designed an elongated manufacturing hall with an area of 3000 m². This connects directly to the office building. The longer sides and the gable of the hall, which faces the city center, were fitted with the textile façade Schüco FACID 65. The client digitally translated the facade into shades of gray and elements used by the company – AI as aluminum, Ti as titanium, Mg as magnesium, and Cu as copper. The company logo was also applied to the textile façade in the form of a stylized fox head and a web of fine bright lines and dots, resembling molecular chains. The textile façade illustrates the DNA of OTTO FUCHS.

SageGlass® technology is available in double or triple insulating glass variants. The functional electrochromatic layer is protected from the weather due to its placement inside the outer layer of the composite glass filling and consists of five ceramic layers. The ceramic material is particularly durable and can easily absorb heat and light for many years. A low voltage of just 5 volts is enough to change the positions of lithium ions and electrons in this layer, causing the glass to darken. This process occurs in four stages: 1. no tinting (54-60% light transmission), 2. slight tinting (16% light transmission), 3. medium tinting (6% light transmission), and 4. maximum tinting <1% light transmission. Even in the case of tinting, it is still possible to see outside through the glass. Once the polarity of the voltage is changed, the ions and electrons return to their original positions, and the glass becomes untinted again. The amount of energy consumed daily per square meter averages less than 3 watts. SageGlass® technology is available in four color variants: clear, blue, gray, and green. SageGlass® technology limits light transmission, preventing furniture and textiles from fading SageGlass® technology allows for regulating the amount of sunlight entering the building, thus mitigating potential glare and overheating – regardless of the building's height. Visibility to the outside and connection to the external world are continuously maintained. In the case of larger commercial projects, these glass fillings also meet sustainability requirements and can earn up to 8 additional points towards LEED certification. Furthermore, they save consumed energy and overall operating costs by contributing to the reduction of costs for climate control and lighting within the building. The ability to limit light transmission between 1% and 60% additionally helps prevent fading of furniture, textiles, wooden flooring, carpets, and artwork.

About the project

Client: OTTO FUCHS KG, Meinerzhagen
Architects: Atelier Christ, Freudenberg
Technology: Gebäudetechnik Mantel, Attendorn

Materials used from Schüco:
Mullion-and-transom facade Schüco FWS 60.HI
Fire protection structure Firestop T90/F90,
Textile facade Schüco FACID 65.