Sustainability challenge started for EDGE Suedkreuz Berlin

• Wanted: Startups with new tech solutions, innovative artists and creative designers
• Goal: Steer employees and visitors towards sustainable behaviour in and around the building
• Coop: EDGE and Vattenfall initiative supported by Urban Impact
• The winners will receive up to 100.000€ implementation budget
• Deadline: The application phase ends on 2 May 2021

Albert Einstein taught us that you can never solve problems with the same way of thinking that created them. It is good to be aware of this insight, and even better to also draw conclusions from it. Project developer EDGE and energy company Vattenfall have taken the initiative to organise a competition that aims to promote sustainable behaviour and raise people’s awareness of it: The Sustainability Challenge!

To start up: The Challenge

Key question of the competition: How can we inspire a more sustainability-driven mindset for the future place of work at EDGE Suedkreuz Berlin? Vattenfall and EDGE, together with the startup experts from Urban Impact, are looking for the best solutions that convey the sustainable mindset of EDGE Suedkreuz Berlin in a smart and creative way. The aim of the Sustainability Challenge is to find a solution that enables Vattenfall employees and the building itself to become even more sustainable during the operating phase. In addition, it is also intended to raise awareness among employees and visitors and motivate them to behave more sustainably. The solutions should particularly take into account the factors of sustainability, visibility, innovation and feasibility. There are plus points for scalable business cases and product maturity. The application deadline is 2 May 2021, 11:59 pm, the application must have been submitted online by then. The winners will be announced on 2 June 2021. The selected ideas / solutions are then checked by the EDGE and Vattenfall project team for technical requirements and their feasibility. All information about the process is available here.

The approach

New thinking shapes the way we work. And where we work. In an inspiring environment that combines sustainability with smart technology. In other words, one that looks at people and the environment as a whole. EDGE Suedkreuz Berlin – the headquarters of Vattenfall in Germany from 2022 – embodies exactly this spirit. A building that fits perfectly into the world of tomorrow, both inside and out. Project developer EDGE and the energy company Vattenfall were the initiators and sponsors of this building. Together they pursue the goal of turning their vision into reality in the heart of Berlin.

The Building

EDGE Suedkreuz Berlin will be the largest timber hybrid building in Germany. It consists of two seven-storey structures, a Solitaire and a Carré building around a central atrium. In the timber hybrid construction, traditional experience in construction is combined with the latest scientific knowledge and the most modern technology. Rethinking also means using the best available methods and technologies. EDGE Suedkreuz was designed virtually before construction began. With the digital planning method Building Information Modeling (BIM), a digital twin of the project was created, which is available for the entire life cycle of the building.

EDGE Suedkreuz Berlin will be completed in 2021. Vattenfall will move into the building in 2022.

Further information on the application and the process of the Sustainability Challenge is available here: https://group.vattenfall.com/de/zukunft/sustainable-challenge 

About Urban Impact

Urban Impact is an innovation agency and platform based in Berlin on a mission to help startup solutions for sustainable cities grow and thrive. We work on the intersection of cities, corporates, investors, activists and startup founders on a diverse range of innovation and strategy projects. We build alliances for change and create the conditions for scalable impact to make Europe the frontrunner for carbon neutral and livable cities.