The building was opened on Tuesday 3 December. The Centre for Eco-Innovation at the Gdansk University of Technology is a facility that will be dedicated to conducting innovative research related to sustainable development, environmental protection and reducing the negative impact of human activity on the climate.
The facility was designed by the FORT architectural bureau, and the main designer of the building is Professor Antoni Taraszkiewicz. The state-of-the-art facility will allow for the training of specialists in innovative technologies in ecology. Researchers will deal with issues such as the recovery of raw materials and energy, wind energy, the use of waste materials to produce concrete or the removal of pollutants from water. They will also be involved in research related to flood and drought mitigation.
An important part of the new building is the laboratories where the scientists will work on so-called green technologies. The building has been filled with specialised apparatus for their research.
The laboratories of the Eco-Innovation Centre will enable scientists to work in areas such as:
Clean water technologies – such as process optimisation in wastewater treatment plants, hydrophytic treatment, water flow and migration of pollutants in rivers, canals and industrial installations; model tests of hydrotechnical facilities, removal of new generation of pollutants.
Sustainable transport – e.g. intelligent transport systems, dynamic travel models, infrastructure diagnostics in rail and road transport, long-life pavements, environmental studies in transport i.e. noise and vibration.
Closed-loop economy – e.g. development of technologies for the re-use of raw materials, e.g. concrete and asphalt using recycled materials, with organic additives; low CO2 concrete and asphalt; in a maximally efficient way, energy recovery from waste.
Adapting to climate change – e.g. measurement of greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater treatment processes with carbon footprint calculations; nature-based technologies for water conservation and urban adaptation to climate change; development of new construction materials, including pavements resistant to extreme temperatures as well as stable soil substrates.
The Centre for Eco-Innovation at the Gdansk University of Technology has an area of 13,000 square metres. Inside, 18 research and computer laboratories have been built. In addition, 20 teaching rooms, an auditorium and a relaxation area for students were created in the facility.
The architects from the FORT studio took into account the use of environmentally friendly solutions. The building is equipped with photovoltaics, a green roof and heat pumps. The building has a grey water recovery system and a computer system manages the optimal operation of the system. The modernist building has a light-coloured façade with unevenly spaced openings that give it a dynamic appearance.
In total, the investment cost PLN 170 million to complete.
photos: Krzysztof Mystkowski / Gdansk University of Technology
source: Gdansk University of Technology
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