Colourful façade for pharmaceutical research
 
The interior and exterior harmonise perfectly: With the new building at the Pharmacological Research Centre of the pharmaceuticals group Boehringer Ingelheim at the Biberach site, the façade design bears a close correlation to the use of the building. Thus the coloured glass slats on the outside of the building are arranged in accordance with the crystal structure of a Boehringer Ingelheim substance, while in the new laboratories and offices over 110 employees work on the development of new substances and medicines. Inside research work is conducted at a high level in the high-tech laboratories, outside the building is protected against heat and cold with the aid of technically sophisticated linear actuators from elero.
 

 
81 stainless steel actuators in use
 
Based on the design by the Berlin-based architects Sauerbruch Hutton the cladding for the façade of the seven-storey building comprises 1.85 metre high vertical slats made of coloured glass. The slats – each nearly one square metre in size and weighing 30 kilograms – are moved and kept in position by linear actuators from the Econom series. Thanks to its stainless steel housing the linear push-rod actuator is weather-resistant and practically maintenance-free – decisive features if over 80 actuators are in use. Furthermore, the Econom has integrated end position switches and hubs with an anti-rotation locking element. Thanks to the slender design the actuators may be inconspicuously integrated into sophisticated architectural façades.
 

 
Low energy consumption thanks to clever sun protection
 
The actuators are controlled by an ingenious building management system. This aligns the slats in accordance with the amount of solar radiation, thus ensuring protection from too much sun without "shutting out" light altogether. Above all this is important for the artificially ventilated laboratory rooms on the east side of the building. If the sun protection slats are closed in good time it is possible to avoid the rooms overheating in summer and thus save energy normally used to cool the rooms. In winter the slats retain some of the emitted heat close to the building and thus ensure additional heat insulation.

The naturally ventilated office wing on the west side also benefits from the intelligent alignment of the slats by the elero actuators: In addition to heat insulation, non-dazzling lighting conditions are created here which allow for full concentration when working at computer screens – not only a basic prerequisite for forward-looking innovations in the pharmaceutical industry.