Trigeneration in 7R's new project for the BWI Group
BWI Group, a global company specializing in the design and manufacture of automotive suspension components, has moved into a building that is unique in Europe for its environmental friendliness. The group’s research and development center will operate in Balice, near Kraków,…
BWI Group, a global corporation specializing in the design and manufacture of automotive suspension components, has moved into a building that is unique in Europe for its environmental friendliness. The group’s research and development center will operate in Balice, near Kraków, where work will be conducted on advanced technologies to enhance the functionality of shock absorbers. Developer 7R has built an energy-self-sufficient facility for the company, utilizing an advanced trigeneration system. Bremer served as the general contractor for the project.
Over the past 10 years, BWI Group has secured numerous new projects, which has led to a doubling of the staff at its Technical Center in Kraków and created a need for additional operational space. The modern and environmentally friendly facility delivered by 7R offers a total of over 11,000 sq. m. of laboratory and office space, which serves as a workplace for nearly 400 engineers specializing in the research, design, and manufacturing of automotive suspensions.
For years, we have been working closely with international clients in Kraków. When selecting a location for our new headquarters, we were guided by the principle that the site should serve as a showcase for our company. Our priorities were good connectivity to the city and a location in a prestigious neighborhood, ideally as close to the airport as possible. As part of the automotive sector, we also bear a responsibility toward the environment. The offer from developer 7R met all these conditions. We believe that the tremendous effort put into ensuring the building meets the highest quality standards and is environmentally friendly will translate into the well-being and comfort of our staff. We want the BWI Group facility to become an integral part of the Balice landscape and to be a significant and recognizable feature of the area.
Krzysztof Kucharczak
Director of the BWI Group Technical Center
Groundbreaking trigeneration
A state-of-the-art trigeneration system uses a gas turbine to generate the energy needed to power, heat, cool, and ventilate the building. As for the supply of utilities to the BWI Group center in Balice, only gas comes from outside the facility. It is used for the employee cafeteria and directed to the trigeneration unit, where electricity is produced using a gas turbine. The heat generated by the engine and hot exhaust gases is recovered in two ways: for water heating and for building heating. Furthermore, in the summer, when the generated heat is not fully utilized, the heated water is directed to an absorption chiller, where its energy is used to produce chilled water.
We are talking about the exceptional innovation of the trigeneration system at the BWI Group facility because this is the first time in Poland that we have implemented it in a commercial office and laboratory building. Until now, such solutions have been implemented in waste incineration plants or large industrial facilities. We have utilized high-quality automation in the facility, and any excess electricity will be fed into the local power grid.
Bartłomiej Krawiecki
Board Member, Head of Development at 7R
Water from our own well
The BWI Group Technical Center is self-sufficient in more ways than just energy. The building also has its own well and manages water resources efficiently across the entire property.
We built a water treatment plant using a drilled well. Rainwater, on the other hand, is distributed throughout the property. There are five infiltration wells beneath the retention tank, and the soil absorbs the water into the ground. As part of the project, we also created a green patio with direct access from the cafeteria.
Piotr Miodek
Sales Director at Bremer
State-of-the-art laboratories
Also worth noting are the solutions implemented in the building’s research and laboratory section, as well as the special track for testing car shock absorbers. The track features various sections, including uneven cobblestones, rough concrete, and potholes.
We have set up laboratory facilities with controlled temperature and humidity, as well as a clean room accessible via a special antechamber equipped with airlocks that serve as passageways to the actual rooms. The laboratory also features precision climate control cabinets that maintain the appropriate conditions in the room around the clock. By collaborating with the BWI Group from the early stages of planning their move, we were able to map out all operational, technical, environmental, and employee-related needs. We believe that the new facility addresses all the challenges our client presented to us.
Bartłomiej Krawiecki
Board Member, Head of Development at 7R
The BWI Group has decided to install a DALI system with automatic light level adjustment and a BMS (Building Management System) at its new headquarters. The facility is expected to achieve a BREEAM rating of "Very Good."
About the author
Author's Bio
Lilianna (Elżbieta) Laudy
Marketing & Digital Manager
Lilianna Laudy serves as Digital & Marketing Manager at 7R SA, where she is responsible for developing digital and marketing initiatives that support brand visibility and online communication…
