Big changes at the Oswald Berkhan School: demolition and new construction begin!

Big changes at the Oswald Berkhan School: demolition and new construction begin!

An exciting change is underway in Braunschweig. The last lessons will soon take place in the teaching pool at the Oswald Berkhan School. The pool will then be drained and demolition work on the sports hall, the therapy pool area as well as the old sanitary cells and the caretaker's apartment will begin in mid-July. This reports regionalheute.de. The planned new buildings were necessary to meet the growing requirements and to bring the existing technology up to date.

The sports and therapeutic areas, which will soon be a thing of the past, are to be replaced by modern new buildings. In addition to the demolition, the school building will be expanded to include five classrooms to meet the increased space requirements. There is also a lot of renovation going on here, as the swimming pool technology in the therapy area is outdated and has almost reached the end of the lifespan of the building. The renovation of the existing building was classified as uneconomical. Nevertheless, the aim is to adapt to the KfW 40 standard for energy efficiency, which is of great importance for the future of the building.

A well thought out concept

The new classrooms will be integrated into a clearly structured concept, with a corridor connecting the sports hall and the teaching pool with the teaching area. A separate entrance for the sports hall allows for third-party use, which could increase the attractiveness of the facility to the community. After the work is completed in autumn 2027, the sports hall and the teaching swimming pool should be ready for use before the comprehensive energy-saving renovation of the existing buildings follows.

This project is no coincidence, as there is a great need for renovation of municipal facilities nationwide. Federal Minister Klara Geywitz announced in a press release on June 19, 2023 that the federal government is providing 400 million euros for the energy-efficient renovation of municipal facilities in the areas of sport, youth and culture. Programs like this are intended to reduce the renovation backlog and improve social integration bmwsb.bund.de reported.

Energy efficiency in focus

The topic of energy efficiency plays an important role in such projects. With federal funding for efficient buildings (BEG), owners of municipal and private facilities receive support to save energy costs and promote climate protection. What is particularly noteworthy is that the BEG also supports specific individual measures, although applications can still be submitted to BAFA. This ensures that not only new buildings, but also existing ones can be invested in the future, reports bafa.de.

In summary, it can be said that the changes in the Oswald Berkhan School represent not only a structural upgrade, but also a social upgrade. We can't wait to see how the plans develop and how the school community will benefit!