The FINANCIAL — With a symbolic groundbreaking ceremony, representatives of the Bosch Group, the municipality of Renningen, and the district of Böblingen officially marked the start of construction for the Robert Bosch GmbH research and advance engineering center.
The new research campus in Renningen is to become the new hub of the Bosch Group’s global research and advance engineering activities. Over the next two years, a total of 14 new buildings will be erected on a space of 100 hectares. According to the Bosch Group, the total size of the new center will be almost 110,000 square meters. The construction costs amount to around 160 million Euros. The company sees the new location as a clear expression of its commitment to the Stuttgart region and to the state of Baden-Württemberg as a center of technological excellence. The first 1,200 associates are set to begin working in Renningen in the spring of 2014. Their research work activities will focus on materials and methods, and technologies, as well as on the development of new systems, components, and manufacturing processes. At the moment, these activities and the relevant units are spread at locations in the greater Stuttgart area, in the suburbs of Gerlingen-Schillerhöhe, Schwieberdingen, and Waiblingen.
Renningen to become a hub of global research activities — “By networking our engineers and researchers even more closely, we are encouraging creativity and speeding up the transfer of knowledge between our business units,” said Dr. Klaus Dieterich, president of Corporate Research and Advance Engineering at Bosch. The company aims to use the new location to pool important technical skills and strengthen cooperation across disciplines. “In the future, Renningen will be an important hub in our international research network.” This network comprises eight Bosch research locations around the world. “In addition, we are involved in over 250 partnerships with universities, research institutes, and industry partners,” Dieterich said. In the past, Bosch engineers and their inventions have been awarded with a number of technology and innovation prizes. These include the 2007 European Inventor of the Year Award as well as the 2008 Deutsche Zukunftspreis (German Future Prize).
“Bosch’s choice of location for the planned center for research and advanced engineering is a unique opportunity for the town of Renningen,” said mayor Wolfgang Faißt. “The relocation of valuable jobs is a stroke of luck for Renningen’s further development,” Faißt said. Roland Bernhard, Böblingen district administrator, sees the new Bosch location as another flagship in the district’s landscape of innovation. “With Bosch’s new presence, another global automotive industry player is establishing itself in the district.”
Campus-like architecture and an innovative work environment — The requirements of a research site and the needs of the people who work there will also be reflected in the center's design. “The building’s architecture supports our associates’ efficient thought processes,” said Albrecht Fischer, head of the Real Estate and Facilities corporate department at Bosch, which is responsible for the planning and realization of the construction project. Twelve of fourteen buildings will be laid out in line with the model of a university campus. In a first phase of construction, these twelve buildings will be distributed over 32 hectares at the northern end of the property.
The two- to three-story laboratory and workshop buildings will be connected via paned bridges and transparent connecting buildings. The open building style and short paths between the buildings aim to promote communication and interdisciplinary cooperation. The middle of the campus will feature generous green spaces and bodies of water. The central building, which will be 60 meters high, will be the site’s main eye catcher. For the buildings themselves, experts are currently cooperating with Bosch associates to come up with an innovative office and workplace concept. Here, too, the aim is to create the best possible conditions for the 1,200 associates.
Sustainable energy management and Bosch building technologies to be applied — In its plans for the new site, Bosch has placed a great deal of importance on eco-friendly building technologies. The aim is to use materials and equipment that help conserve resources. The planned heat recovery from the laboratory and workshop buildings will cover about 50 percent of the entire site’s heating needs. Moreover, the rainwater collected in the location's ponds and underwater wells will serve to cool the buildings. Combined with the use of a membrane water treatment system, some 30,000 cubic meters of clean drinking water per year can be saved. Solar power stations are set to be installed on the grassy roofs of the buildings. Bosch will also install its own products and systems in other areas, such as heating, air conditioning, and access control. The company will also equip the buildings with Bosch intruder and fire alarms.
Strong support from the citizens of Renningen — Albrecht Fischer thanked the community and town representatives for their constructive cooperation and high level of commitment. “Since the purchase and license agreements were notarized at the end of 2010, we have faced many challenges over the course of this project. All of the parties involved consistently expressed their willingness to successfully conclude the planning phase. This has been an important factor in the project's success so far.” The strong support which the citizens of Renningen and the town's authorities have expressed is also illustrated by the fact that all resolutions were unanimously accepted by the city council.
Interior design to start at the beginning of 2013 — When the initial building permits were granted a few weeks ago, Bosch had already prepared the construction site and begun ground-shaping and excavation work. The first building to be constructed is the central building. The foundation stone is expected to be laid before the end of this year. By the start of 2013, all civil engineering work is expected to be completed, at which point the interior design of the building can begin. Once the first building is completed in the spring of 2014, associates will gradually be moved to Renningen from other locations in Stuttgart. The move is expected to be completed by the fall of 2014.
Seven-figure investments to ensure an ecological balance — Bosch aims to keep the impact of the construction project on the region’s flora and fauna to a minimum. Inevitable effects on the ecosystem will be minimized and offset through efforts to maintain the ecological balance. To this end, the company plans to spend a seven-figure sum. Ecological balance efforts include improving the water quality of a local lake, renaturalizing a local pond, and planting new fruit orchards. For the rare animal species whose habitat is on the north end of the property, new habitats beyond the property have already been created. In addition to these measures, Bosch has removed materials left behind by the German military from the property, as well as from the neighbouring former training grounds. It will also decontaminate the former landfill for household and commercial waste.
Research and advance engineering supports the “Invented for life” strategic imperative — Bosch applies for an average of 16 patents every working day. This puts Bosch among the global leaders with regard to patents filed. In Germany, Bosch takes the number one spot. In 2012, the global provider of technology and services is expected to spend 4.6 billion euros on research and development. The sum, which is 400 million euros higher than in 2011, will go toward developing new systems, components, technologies, and methods. In 2011, about half of research expenditure went toward products which conserve resources and protect the environment. By the end of 2012, Bosch is expected to have some 43,000 researchers and engineers working at 86 locations worldwide, about 4,500 more than at the start of the year.
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