Altstätten/Widnau SG – An apartment building is being built in Widnau that is not only CO2-neutral, but also climate-positive in operation. This is made possible by the OPENLY construction system. Construction materials and components that were not yet available on the market were developed by OPENLY itself.
OPENLY claims to have set several records with its first construction project. The company, which is part of Dade Design Holding, is currently completing a building with 19 apartments in Widnau using its OPENLY construction system. According to a press release, net zero is being built. Thanks to building software developed in-house, it is even intended to be climate-positive in operation, i.e. it will produce more energy than it consumes, thus saving 300 tons of CO2.
Many building materials and components that are not yet available on the market have been developed in-house, such as the automatically opening ventilation flaps in the windows. 400 cubic meters of hempcrete and 2600 square meters of hemp bricks were used as well as 1000 cubic meters of a self-developed plant-based carbon concrete. 12 tons of steel girders came from a building demolition. The reinforcing steel is also 100 percent recycled.
The 400 tons of clay fill in the ceilings form natural heat stores. The specially developed kitchens were also realized in a CO2-neutral way. Thanks to proprietary building software, energy use in the building is intelligently automated.
As the founder and CEO of OPENLY, Andy Keel, explains, OPENLY is developing “a bionic construction system based on the intelligence of nature”, “which is to be used by developers and architects. At the same time, we advise and support companies and investment funds on the path to ESG-compliant construction projects that not only make bad things better, but also have a genuinely positive impact on the climate.”
Public guided tours will take place on November 30 and December 19. Registration is possible by e-mail. ce/mm
