High-speed doors combine perfect insulation, energy-efficient functionality, and modern technology. The new building for the Road Traffic and Shipping Office in Schaffhausen is a showcase project for sustainable construction. Efaflex doors further contribute to minimizing energy consumption.
Rising vehicle registration numbers and increased passenger traffic – the demands on the Road Traffic and Shipping Office in Schaffhausen have grown steadily in recent years. "The existing premises were simply no longer adequate," explains Ralph Gallmann, project manager from the Building Construction Office within the canton's Department of Construction. "Due to the lack of space, processes could not be further optimized. In addition, the office was spread across several locations in the canton of Schaffhausen , which negatively impacted efficiency."
At the new location, combined
The new building on Ernst Müller-Strasse in Herblingen now includes a large testing hall with four test lanes for passenger cars and two for trucks, anadministration building, and electric vehicle charging stations for customers and employees. The construction costs for the project, which began in 2019 and lasted approximately five years, amounted to 16.4 million Swiss francs.
R. Gallmann
The office can now service 120 vehicles per day. The previous location in the monastery district of Schaffhausen's old town, as well as the rented branch offices in Beringen, Ebnat, and Schweizersbild, have been integrated into the new headquarters, simplifying workflows and communicationchannels and optimizing customer services.
Minergie-P standard
What makes this project special: The building meets all the requirements of the Minergie-P standard, which guarantees excellent thermal insulation, minimal heat loss, and outstanding airtightness. Locally sourced timber was used in the construction to support the local economy and reduce transportation distances. A solar array on the roof generates electricity and lowers the building's external energy needs.
Lifting platform in the new building
The building is heated via a district heating network. Accordingly, the demands placed on the doors were high, which ultimately led to Efaflex's expertise being called in. for use in cold storage facilities, proved to be idealdeveloped to 2.5 m/s. This not only accelerates work processes many times over, but thanks to the high opening and closing speeds especially during the winter months, .
Work processes accelerated
Furthermore, a variety of control options optimize and simplify operations. For example, induction loops for automatic gate opening have been embedded in the asphalt on the entrance side. Employees can also operate the gates using pull switches, push buttons, or proximity sensors.
Minimal heat loss
A major challenge was the passage widths and heights. It was crucialto adhere precisely to the specified dimensions. Planning with BIM-3D allowed the installation to be simulated up to final assembly on the construction site and subsequently implemented in reality . Efaflex doors combine perfect insulation, energy-efficient functionality, and state-of-the-art technology. During the redesign, particular attention was paid to improvingthe physical properties of the door leaf and optimizing its functionality.
highest standards
As the world's first manufacturer of industrial doors, Efaflex offers thermally broken EFA-THERM insulating slats for the EFA-SST as standard. Depending on the door size, this achieves thermal insulation values between 0.66 and 1.52 W/m²K. Safety measures and certifications meet the highest standards, protecting people, cargo, and the door itself.
Perfect gate leaf guidance
Besides functionality, the design and user-friendliness of the gates also played an important role. They should be as easy to operate as possible and controllable via a tablet. Special functions such as remote control, access control, or smart home integration – and of course the gate control itself – could be integrated.
Smart gate control
When it comes to gate technology, the Schaffhausen-based company can rely on the high reliability of the Efaflexspiral and a gate leaf guide system that is perfected: The gate leaf is not wound onto a shaft, but rather held at a space-saving distance by the spiral guide . Thanks to this mechanical principle, Efaflex spiral gates operate exceptionally quietly, with virtually no wear, and at extraordinary speed.
Photos: Efaflex
For Ralph Gallmann, there isn't one single moment or aspect of this project he's particularly proud of. Rather, it's various factors, such as the excellent collaboration with the general contractor and the satisfaction of the users, that make the project special for him. Consolidating all workstations in one location finally enables cross-departmental collaboration among employees and fosters team spirit. And customers also benefit from having all services available on-site.
