Protecting future roofers with the ultimate roof system

Welcoming trainees, architects and engineers since 1927, the Federal Education Centre for Carpenters and Finishing Trades in Gladbeck, Kassel helps preserve interest in timber construction – both traditional and modern – in Germany.  The sprawling facility spreads over 13,000 m², with learning taking place in workshops, training and seminar rooms. The bulk of the centre’s expansion took place during the 1980s.

The challenge

With a goal to improve energy efficiency, most of the facility was renovated during 2017/2018. Responsibility for the roof areas fell to the local craftsmen from Kühne GmbH, and to master roofer, Dirk Flörke.

"The Federal Education Centre has been expanded again and again. New buildings have been constructed and extensions added over time,” explains Dirk Flörke. “So for us, it wasn’t about upgrading the roof structure of a homogeneous building complex, but about processing many different roof structures and geometries. That’s what made our job tricky and exciting at the same time.”

In total, 36 individual roof areas covering around 5,500 m² needed refurbishment and modern insulation installed. Even removing the old roof coverings was challenging, as many used asbestos corrugated sheets that needed to be dismantled and disposed of properly. And to add to the complexity of the project, the refurbishment needed to take place during term time when school was running.

Living more energy-consciously

Improving the thermal insulation in the façade and roofs is just one aspect of the project. Another important task has been helping residents to understand how insulation works and to encourage energy efficient behaviour at home.

In fact, involving the residents throughout the project has been a vital to its success. Over 800 meetings were held within the community, resolving more than 1,900 questions from concerned or curious locals. This level of interaction with those directly impacted by the changes resulted in high levels of acceptance and enthusiasm for the project.

Some of Spain's best performers

The project has turned these buildings – once some of Spain’s least energy efficient – into some of Spain’s best energy performers. Started in 2015, the Efidistrict project is now in its third phase with renovation planned or underway on more than 1,000 additional homes in social housing buildings in other neighbourhoods around Pamplona-Iruna.

The success of Efidistrict has been recognised inside and outside of Spain as a reference case for other municipalities seeking to combine large scale renovation with urban regeneration. The results are tangible, and the approach – including close cooperation with the community to ensure open communication during the renovation – has led to minimal disruption to the lives of residents.