The University of Debrecen's high-rise building may receive a comprehensive renovation

Successful results have been achieved in two public procurement procedures of the University of Debrecen, both for the renovation and energy modernisation of the 50-year-old Theoretical Block. The building, which is located on the clinical campus of the Nagyerdei Campus and was designed by Tibor Mikolás in the 1970s, consists of a two-storey base element and a ten-storey block leading from it. With over 10,000 square metres of floor space, the building houses laboratories, teaching rooms, offices, a restaurant and a 24-hour reception service.

Energy efficient university centre to be inaugurated

The two tenders for the reconstruction of the high-rise building's cooling and heating systems and the renovation of its façade, and Tömb 2002 Kft won both tenders in significant competition. The Hajdúböszörmény-based company undertook the façade renovation for a net value of approximately 982 million forints and the heating and cooling development for a net value of approximately 726 million forints. Both investments will be realised with the support of the Environment and Energy Efficiency Operational Programme (KEHOP).

How the facade is renewed

Plans for the building's external façade improvements include replacing and refurbishing the existing thermally-retardant aluminium and plastic window systems, shading systems, as well as the existing stone cladding, render and plinths.

Care is taken to ensure that work on the façade retains or restores the original design appearance as far as possible.

Major work is also being carried out on the windows and projecting concrete structures, and thermal cladding is being installed below ground level at the base of the building.

The project is expected to deliver around

• 6700 square metres of facade framing work
• and 3,000 metres of wires and conduit.

In addition, 1,459 square metres of ceiling and slab stone wool, 5060 square metres of vertical wall and 3,400 square metres of flat roof insulation will be insulated; and a similar amount of plastering and painting will be carried out.

They harness the energy of the earth's internal heat

The heating and cooling system may also be completely transformed: a geothermal system using renewable energy is planned. At its heart will be two water-to-water heat pumps and 110 probes. By harnessing the earth's internal heat, a network will be set up to produce heating water that is regulated according to the weather and the heating programme, thus enabling climate control.

The project is expected to involve work on several parts of the building, including the installation of more than 13 kilometres of pipes to various standards, among a significant amount of other work.