Germany – Construction project management services – Projektsteuerung

The main building of the Uniklinik RWTH Aachen has 24 necessary stairwells with antechambers and elevators. On 23.12.1996, a fire broke out in an electrical shaft near stairwell C3. This fire incident revealed serious weaknesses in the previous safety concept for smoke control and smoke extraction in the stairwells. Based on these experiences, the safety concept of the stairwells, including airlocks, was revised and the planning for the renovation of the safety ventilation for the stairwell cores was begun. According to the then fire protection technical statement, the existing positive pressure ventilation systems of the stairwell cores should be replaced by purge ventilation systems. In the course of the construction project "Renovation of the safety ventilation of the 24 stairwells of the UBFT", approved by consent according to § 80 BauO NW, granted by the Bezirksregierung Köln on 23.04.2003, taking into account the corresponding supplements and completions, the safety ventilation systems for 13 of the 24 stairwell cores were renovated by 2010. Due to a change in building supervisory responsibility, the continuation of the approved construction project was formally not possible.