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The professional remediation of pollutants in existing buildings places high demands on planning, coordination and technical expertise – especially in the case of listed buildings that are still in use. This was precisely the challenge faced by a university in Baden-Württemberg, which has been renovating a section of a building from the 19th century on its campus that is still in use since 2025.
The M&P Umwelttechnik GmbH – Part of SIERA Alliance – from Heidelberg carried out the technical investigations for building pollutants, accompanied the tendering and awarding of the services and supervised the execution of the work.
Project overview: Refurbishment during ongoing university operations
The affected area of use of the historic building included:
- a library
- Office space
- Classrooms
- Laboratories
The remodelling work included, among other things
- Electrical work
- Modernisation of fire protection equipment
- Remodelling work on walls, ceilings and floors
As the building was still in operation, all measures had to be planned precisely and harmonised with the university’s ongoing operations. Detailed coordination between the client, planners and contractors was essential.
Technical tests for building pollutants
Before the start of the actual renovation work, the M&P Umwelttechnik GmbH carried out extensive technical analyses of the building. The aim was to identify potential pollutants in the existing building and to assess their contamination professionally.
Core drillings were carried out to take samples from the floor and wall structure. The various materials were analysed and tested for the following substances:
Overview of analysed pollutants
| Material sample | Analysed pollutants |
| Wood samples | Wood preservatives (PCP, lindane, DDT) |
| Polystyrene samples | HBCD |
| Adhesives and coatings, materials from the floor structure | PAH |
| Colours and coatings | PCBs, heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium, chromium, copper, nickel, mercury, zinc) |
| Various materials such as adhesives, insulation, floor coverings, plasters and much more. | Asbestos, KMF |
The analyses were carried out with defined detection limits and formed the basis for further planning of the remediation measures.
Support for tendering and awarding
In addition to the technical investigations, the M&P Umwelttechnik GmbH – Part of SIERA Alliance – also the tendering and awarding of the work to be carried out.
This included in particular
- Definition of the necessary remediation measures based on the results of the investigation
- Technical support in the preparation of tender documents
- Evaluation of incoming offers
- Advising the client on the award decision
This structured approach ensured that the remediation work could be carried out both technically correctly and economically.
Supervision of execution in consideration of occupational health and safety and immission control
During the execution of the renovation work, particular attention had to be paid to the requirements of occupational health and safety and immission control.
The work was precisely integrated into the operation of the building. The M&P Umwelttechnik GmbH continuously monitored the execution to ensure compliance with all technical, safety and legal requirements.
As a Part of SIERA Alliance the company stands for quality-assured engineering services in the field of environmental technology and refurbishment.
Remediation of pollutants in existing buildings: special challenges
Renovations in listed buildings differ significantly from new construction projects. Typical challenges are
- Historical building materials with unknown loads
- Limited structural intervention options
- High coordination effort during operation
- Strict requirements for documentation and verification
Structured processes and technical precision are crucial, especially in sensitive utilisation environments such as universities.
The refurbishment of a listed university building during ongoing operations requires a high degree of technical expertise, organisational coordination and legal security.
The M&P Umwelttechnik GmbH – Part of SIERA Alliance – supported the project from the pollutant analysis to the tendering process and the monitoring of the execution, thus making a significant contribution to the controlled and professional implementation of the measures.
Get in touch now
You are planning a Remediation of pollutants in existing buildings, require a Analysis of building pollutants or a Monitoring during construction?
The M&P Umwelttechnik GmbH – Part of SIERA Alliance – supports you with well-founded analyses, structured project support and professional monitoring of your remediation measures.
👉 Get in touch now and let us advise you individually.
