Drees & Sommer is working together with Friedrich Schiller University Jena to realize the new research building Microverse Center Jena (MCJ) on the Beutenberg Campus. Completion is scheduled for April 2025. 

The MCJ, which is funded by the federal and state governments, will be the spatial centerpiece of the “Balance of the Microverse” cluster of excellence, which focuses on microbial communities and their interaction with the environment. The building is designed for 170 scientists and 30 non-scientific staff.  

A particularly challenging aspect of the project is the planning which entails a high degree of complexity and technical equipment throughout the laboratories and building engineering. The cooperation and coordination of the specialist planners in the project is also hugely important. There are also funding-related deadlines that the team has to meet. 

To speed up planning and construction, the Drees & Sommer experts therefore combine Building Information Modeling (BIM) and lean methods. This can speed up the construction process by up to 30 percent. To implement lean construction management (LCM), the planners rely on LCM Digital, a web-based collaborative planning and control solution. The combination of BIM and lean enables transparent and digital planning and execution.  

The MCJ is focused on integrating environmentally friendly construction practices. LCM enables the team to use resources more efficiently. This includes sustainable elements such as a wooden façade, large thermal storage units, and a photovoltaic system with an integrated green roof.