Trigeneration implemented in the new 7R investment for the BWI Group
BWI Group, a global automotive suspension parts design and manufacturing company, has moved into a unique, eco-friendly building in Europe. The group’s research and development center will begin operations…
BWI Group, a global automotive suspension parts design and manufacturing company, has moved into a unique, eco-friendly building in Europe. The group’s research and development center will begin operations in Balice near Kraków, where advanced technologies will be developed to enhance the functionality of shock absorbers. The developer, 7R, has built an energy-self-sufficient facility for the company using an advanced trigeneration system. Bremer served as the general contractor for the project.
Over the past 10 years, the BWI Group has taken on a number of new projects, which have doubled the number of employees at the company’s Technical Center in Kraków and created a need for more operational space. The modern and environmentally friendly facility, provided by 7R, totals over 11,000 square meters of laboratory and office space, and is home to nearly 400 engineers specializing in research, design, and production processes for automotive suspensions.
For a number of years, we have been working closely with international clients in Kraków. When selecting the location for our new headquarters, we were guided by the desire for our new facility to serve as a showcase for our company. Our priority was to find a suitable building in a prestigious area that was easily accessible from both the city and the airport. As a company in the automotive sector, we also feel a responsibility toward the environment. All these conditions were met by 7R’s offer. We believe that the enormous amount of work put into ensuring that the building meets the highest quality criteria and is environmentally friendly will translate into the well-being and comfort of our staff. We also want the BWI Group center to be an important and recognizable part of Balice’s commercial landscape.
Krzysztof Kucharczak
Director of the BWI Group Technical Center
Trigeneration – a breakthrough
The high-tech trigeneration system enables the gas turbine to generate the energy needed to power, heat, cool, and ventilate the building. When it comes to supplying utilities to the BWI Group’s center in Balice, only natural gas is required for the facility. It is used to heat the staff cafeteria and is directed to the trigeneration unit, where the gas turbine produces electricity. The heat generated by the engine and the hot exhaust gas is used in two ways: to heat water for the facility and to heat the building itself. Secondly, in the summer, when the heat produced is not fully utilized, the heated water is directed to an absorption unit where its energy is used to produce cold water.
We are talking about the unique innovation of the trigeneration system at the BWI Group’s facility, as this was the first time it was implemented in a commercial office and laboratory building in Poland. Until now, such solutions have been implemented in waste-to-energy plants and large industrial facilities. At the facility, we have implemented a high-efficiency automated system, with any excess power being fed back into the local power grid.
Bartłomiej Krawiecki
Member of the Board, Head of Development at 7R
Water from BWI’s own water intake
The BWI Group Technical Center is not only energy self-sufficient. The building also has its own well and manages water efficiently throughout the premises.
We have built a water treatment plant using water from a drilled well. Rainwater is distributed throughout the property. There are five infiltration wells beneath the retention tank, with the soil absorbing the water. As part of the project, we have also created a green patio with direct access from the cafeteria.
Piotr Miodek
Sales Director at Bremer
Top-class laboratories
Also worth noting are the solutions used in the building’s research and laboratory section and a special test track for car shock absorbers, which includes sections such as uneven cobblestones, rough concrete, and bumps.
We have set up a laboratory with controlled temperature and humidity. There is also a clean room, which is accessed via a special vestibule equipped with airlocks leading to the relevant rooms. The laboratory is equipped with precision air conditioning units that maintain the required conditions in the room around the clock. Because we collaborated with the BWI Group from the outset, we were able to identify all operational, technical, environmental, and staffing requirements. We believe that the new facility meets all the challenges our client has set for us.
Bartłomiej Krawiecki
Member of the Board, Head of Development at 7R
The BWI Group has decided to install the Dali system at its new facility, featuring automatic light intensity adjustment, along with a BMS system for building management. The building will receive a BREEAM Very Good certification.
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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…
