Hydro Group CEO Svein Richard Brandtzæg emphasized that the test center generates more energy than it actually needs through the passive house facade and the use of solar power. "Our goal is to implement many more such solutions in new and renovated buildings. Sustainable building benefits the environment, business and residents," said Brandtzæg.

Buildings consume around 40 percent of the energy in Europe, especially for heating and cooling. That is why the European Union and some countries want to drastically reduce the energy requirements of buildings, thus saving resources and reducing CO2 emissions.

At the inauguration, experts from the EU Commission, the United Nations, business, research and environmental organizations spoke in front of an international plenum. Professor Samuele Furfari from the European Commission's Energy Directorate (DG TREN) also criticized the excessive promotion of photovoltaics: "If we insulate our houses, we will do a lot for the climate and save money for actually unnecessary energy consumption. For solar power or we also pay significantly more for biodiesel. "

Dr. Arab Houballah from the United Nations Environment Program emphasized that "knuten, carrots and tambourines" are needed to tackle the big project of environmentally friendly, sustainable building: strict rules, good incentives and convincing advertising.

Hydro, Europe's largest aluminum group, is one of the leading international providers of construction systems, known in Germany primarily for its WICONA brand, whose developers work in Ulm and export their solutions for metalworkers, architects and builders all over the world.

In the test center in Bellenberg near Ulm, elements up to ten meters high are tested to see if they hold tight against extreme driving rain and withstand hurricane winds that simulate the test stands.

The center itself has an energy requirement of less than 40kWh / m² per year due to a passive house facade (new buildings today mostly more than 100 kWh / m²) and even generates more electricity than it needs due to the large 40 KW photovoltaic system the roof.

Facade parts of the center are the first to use the most technically advanced WICONA system, "TEmotion": self-sufficient facade parts that regulate all heating, cooling, shading, interior lighting and ventilation.