Double wall systems for biomass cogeneration plant

One of Germany‘s most modern biomass cogeneration plants is being built on part of a 13.5-hectare expansion area belonging to a biotechnology company in the Upper Bavarian district of Weilheim-Schongau. It is scheduled for completion by the end of 2025 and is expected to save 7,800 tons of CO₂ per year. The plant will be fired with wood waste from forests within a 100 km radius and waste products from sawmills. The plant will generate sustainable steam for the companies‘ production processes.

The new building, which is approximately 20 m high and covers an area of 45 x 21 m, is a technical building with one full storey and several vertically constructed technical levels. The client attached great importance to the building‘s consistently modern and timeless architecture. The load-bearing double-shell walls installed here by Syspro member Kurz Fertigteilbau GmbH from Langkampfen near Kufstein in Tyrol were therefore manufactured with a very special surface finish.
Production with matrix structure

Gerd Neus, Head of Semi-finished Parts/Sales at Kurz Fertigteilbau GmbH, explains the special features of the project: „The production of precast concrete elements has undergone continuous development in recent years thanks to innovative techniques and design possibilities. One particularly interesting variant is production with a matrix structure. We use special formwork matrices for this, which enable us to create aesthetically appealing and functional surfaces directly in the precast plant. We also used a matrix structure for the Syspro double walls and facade elements used in the construction of the biomass cogeneration plant. These products were designed so that they can be stacked precisely on top of each other, creating a continuous, seamless overall appearance that meets both architectural and structural requirements. A characteristic element of the design is the recurring wood structure pattern, which creates a warm yet modern look,“ says Neus.

Detailed planning required

It sounds trivial, but it isn‘t: „Due to the deep structure of the surfaces and the varying dimensions of the double walls, the lifts, reinforcement spacings, and settings had to be adjusted very precisely,“ Neus continues. „The integration of doors, gates, and internal reinforcement connections required additional detailed planning, as the elements could not be rotated or swapped at will, for example.“

Even during production, it was necessary to carefully consider which side would be used later before the molds were put into use. Mirror-image approaches were taken into account to ensure a uniform appearance. „Because the molds were used multiple times, we always cleaned them very thoroughly to guarantee consistent surface quality with each reuse,“ explains Gerd Neus. „Any improper handling could have negatively affected the end result in the form of unwanted impressions or deviating structures.“

The result is impressive: after a construction period of approximately 1.5 years, viewers can already recognize the new striking building from a distance with its homogeneous, modern facade construction, which captivates with its unique design and meets the requirements of an innovative biomass cogeneration plant.