Construction work on the new office building on the Ahlem Campus of the Hochschule Hannover University of Applied Sciences and Arts began in May 2021. The building, with approximately 460 square meters of floor space over three floors, will house offices and meeting rooms for researchers from the Fraunhofer WKI and the Hochschule Hannover University of Applied Sciences and Arts.

The State of Lower Saxony has contracted the architectural firm LSM from Hanover for the construction of the new building for the Hochschule Hannover University of Applied Sciences and Arts. The planned cost of construction is around 3 million euros. Completion of the building is scheduled for fall 2022. The skeleton structure is to be completed by the end of 2021, and interior work is to commence at the beginning of 2022. 

The Fraunhofer WKI “Application Center HOFZET^®” is located on the campus of the Hochschule Hannover University of Applied Sciences and Arts and is closely linked to the university's “IfBB - Institute for Bioplastics and Biocomposites”. The two institutions operate a joint technical center and diverse laboratories in the areas of plastics and fiber-composite technology. The cooperation between experts from the wood and plastics fields results in the creation of new materials and applications for hybrid (bio-) fiber composites. One particular focus here is on energy- and resource-saving lightweight-construction solutions.  

The new building is intended to further intensify the existing cooperation between the Fraunhofer WKI HOFZET^® and the IfBB. The scientists will collaborate in the research fields of sustainability, materials development and component development as well as circular economy and recycling. The research results will provide a contribution towards the bioeconomy - for example as lightweight components in vehicles. In addition to the mobility sector, it will also be possible for the results to be used in the logistics, sports and recycling sectors.