Completed in 2017, the Freiburg City Hall was one of the world’s first public net zero buildings. It generates more energy than it consumes. Designed by the Düsseldorf-based architectural practice Ingenhoven architects and constructed over a period of 33 months, the 24,215 m² new city hall accommodates 840 employees over six floors. It is characterized by a distinctive curved floor plan with a vertical timber-aluminum façade. The building’s environmental sustainability credentials and positive impacts have been recognised by a diverse range of award nominations such as the 2019 DGNB Sustainable Building award for outstanding implementation of ecological standards (winner) and the 2018 Balthasar Neumann Preis for architectural excellence (nominated). Source: Ingenhoven Architects Energy Generation Various technologies essentially allow the building to function as a decentralized power plant, incorporating a range of interconnected systems to maximize energy efficiency and renewable energy generation. Freiburg is known as the sunniest city in Germany, and the town hall makes […]