The development of Geisenheim as a university location is supported with seventy-five million euros from the HEUREKA program of the state government and the Higher Education Pact Invest III program until 2025. An architecture competition in 2017 resulted in plans for a building for the Fresh Produce Logistics department, a building for the Food Safety degree program, a new lecture hall building and a Beverage Technology Centre.
The Beverage Technology Centre with sparkling wine production and spacious glass foyer will be the new focal point of the Campus Area West. The architects designed a production hall on the upper floor, and the building also offers teaching rooms, laboratories and offices.
The new lecture hall building, together with the new logistics building on the existing parking lot on Von-Lade-Strasse, will mark the new entrance to the university. Together with the existing administration building, the structures will surround the new centre of the campus, the Campuswiese (Campus Meadow). Students will enter the lecture hall via a large foyer and an open staircase will lead to the teaching rooms on the upper floor. The new logistics building will be slightly offset from the lecture hall building but similar in design.
The design of the new Food Safety building is based on the neighboring listed teaching and office building, and together they will form an attractive ensemble with shared open space.
"The four new buildings are another major step in the development of our campus. In addition to sustainable construction methods and the use of natural raw materials, which was what appealed to us in the winning designs, we are also focusing on the optimized use concepts for the buildings: in the Beverage Technology Center and the Food Safety Building, we will continue to give our students practice-based knowledge in modern rooms," said Prof. Hans Reiner Schultz, President of Hochschule Geisenheim University. "The logistics and lecture hall buildings represent the diversity and close interconnection of all parts of the supply chain in the areas of viticulture and horticulture at our university in Geisenheim".
50 million euros from the extension of the HEUREKA university construction investment program form the basis for the expansion of the Geisenheim University campus. In addition, ten million euros are being provided from the budget of the current HEUREKA program phase. The university will also receive more than 15 million euros from the HSP 2020 INVEST program until 2020, so that a total of 75 million euros can be invested until 2025.
Members of the public or media are welcome to contact us with any questions!
As part of the CO2 reduction and efficiency program for universities ("COME universities"), we are planning a Venlo block construction with a modern, highly transparent glass shell over the central greenhouse area on the west of the campus. This will reduce heat emissions by around 25%. Together with modern greenhouse technology, energy savings of up to 46% and a reduction in CO2 emissions of up to 715 t/year can be achieved. The heat supply will be supported by a pyrolysis plant, giving us the possibility of generating emission certificates, and creating a modern, sustainable and low CO2 greenhouse area.
Also as part of the CO2 reduction and efficiency programme for universities ("COME universities"), we are planning to replace our three combi boilers with two gas condensing boilers with 2,400 KWth each and a CHP unit with 500 KWth. This will cover the university's increased heating requirements as a result of the new buildings while also improving energy efficiency. The proportion of regenerative thermal energy will in future be 50% covered by the CHP unit, the two gas condensing boilers will be used to cover peak loads.
We will also be renewing the university's local heating network, which is around 2.5 km long and in need of renovation. With this measure alone, approximately 1,088,000 kWh and about 220 t CO2 per year can be saved in the future.
The single-storey buildings (former chemistry and locksmith) along Falterstrasse will be demolished to facilitate deliveries and waste disposal as well as emergency access. In future, the existing inner courtyard will be accessible directly from Falterstrasse.
The existing office space, which is used by the Department of Wine and Beverage Business, will be extended. As part of the project, additional parking spaces will be provided to improve the parking situation along Kreuzweg.