Partial evacuation of the Institute building at Langer Kamp 8 to protect the health of staff Statement of Technische Universität Braunschweig

Protecting the health of our employees is a top priority for the management of TU Braunschweig. For this reason, the five upper floors of the institute building at Langer Kamp 8 in Braunschweig will be gradually closed from 16 September 2024. The affected rooms in the “tower” will be vacated floor by floor. The approximately 130 employees affected will be informed about alternative workplaces or will switch to mobile working options. With this decision, TU Braunschweig is pre-empting an expected order from the Braunschweig State Trade Supervisory Office to prohibit the use of the building. The building currently houses working groups from the Battery Labfactory Braunschweig (BLB), the Institute for Materials Science, the Institute of Joining and Welding Technology, the Institute for Engineering Design, as well as seminar rooms and research equipment.

The Executive Board of TU Braunschweig fully understands the concerns of the users. This is particularly disastrous for young researchers who are carrying out experiments as part of their theses or doctoral dissertations and are now being restricted in their work.

Angela Ittel, President of Technische Universität Braunschweig: “We have been working intensively for several months to find solutions for the building at Langer Kamp 8, which is in urgent need of renovation. It houses central facilities of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering – in addition to administrative staff, some of our most talented researchers and the corresponding research infrastructure, including complex laboratories and large-scale equipment. Within the university’s infrastructure, there are many interdependencies with this site, which is considered the heart of our university. There is no simple, short-term measure that will solve the situation. Health and safety, the wellbeing of our staff and the smooth running of research are at the heart of our concerns. We are therefore in discussions with all relevant institutions to develop a satisfactory plan and implement it as soon as possible.”

To coordinate and implement all the necessary measures, TU Braunschweig’s Executive Board has already set up a task force that includes users of the building as well as staff from the building management, staff representatives and university communications. The top priority at the moment is the search for suitable replacement space, which is a major challenge for the university, especially in the area of laboratories.

The upper floors will be vacated on a weekly and floor-by-floor basis from 16 September 2024. Employment will be banned in accordance with the phased plan, but there will be no ban on entry. All staff will be encouraged to use home office options and students will no longer be allowed to use the space. The aim is for the upper floors to be fully evacuated by 14 October 2024. A fire watch will be established on the upper floors from 16 September 2024.

The basement and ground floor of the building at Langer Kamp 8 can be used for another five years, subject to certain conditions. The required installation of a fire alarm system has been guaranteed until the end of November 2024.

The installation of a new sanitary container docked to the building is currently being prepared and is expected to be completed in September.

Employees were informed of the situation and the next steps at a partial staff meeting today.

The President