Construction company HOCHTIEF has secured a contract worth around €230m ($273m) from the Federal Agency for Real Estate (BImA) to construct the Max Rubner Institute (MRI) research centre in Kiel, Germany.
Under the contract, HOCHTIEF PPP Solutions is responsible for the design, build, and 30-year operation of the facility, which is scheduled for completion in autumn 2028.
The upcoming MRI centre will be established near Christian Albrecht University. It will consolidate the Kiel and Hamburg branches of the federal research institute, providing around 6,250m2 of usable floor space.
Scientists from different disciplines are expected to collaborate within the building.
To accommodate sensitive laboratory equipment such as advanced microscopes and measuring devices, HOCHTIEF will isolate the structure from external vibrations and shocks.
Laboratories focused on microbiology and food research must adhere to strict safety protocols.
A security system designed in line with Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) guidelines will safeguard both the premises and its occupants.
HOCHTIEF said that the building will meet the federal BNB silver standard for sustainable construction as well as EGB 40 energy efficiency criteria. Heat for the facility will be generated using near-surface geothermal sources.
The company is currently involved in several other research-related construction projects, including schemes at the University of California in Berkeley, University of Cleveland in Ohio and institutions in Rosenheim and Duisburg-Essen.
HOCHTIEF CEO Juan Santamaría said: “This project highlights our strong position in the strategically important growth market of healthcare/biopharma and contributes to further consolidating Germany’s position as a leading research hub.
“Our ability to combine design, construction, and operation, will allow us to optimise the entire life cycle of the project to the benefit of the client.”
Earlier this year, HOCHTIEF completed a laboratory building in Schwarzheide for chemical firm BASF.
