Upgrading the fire protection in the Congresshalle
GENERAL REFURBISHMENT AND MODERNISATION OF THE CONGRESSHALLE SAARBRÜCKEN
As a responsible operator of the Congresshalle, Congress-Centrum Saar GmbH (CCS) is very aware of its responsibility with regard to safety and fire protection and faces strict regulations.
On the one hand, there is a constantly changing ordinance on places of assembly; on the other hand, there is a constant process of adaptation and modernisation of event venues. Due to strict regulations in the areas of fire protection and safety, the continuation of event operations in the Congresshalle in its current form and function requires a comprehensive upgrade of the fire protection system. In the process, existing deficits between the existing building situation and the current general conditions in terms of building planning, building law and preservation of historical monuments will be addressed.
The CCS does not see the permanent adaptation and further development of the Ordinance on Places of Assembly and the accompanying necessary modernisation of the building situation as a restriction, but rather as a guarantee of the safety of more than 100,000 guests and several hundred event organisers who stay in the Congresshalle every year.
The implementation of the package of measures for the renovation, modernisation and upgrading of the fire protection system thus continues to ensure the competitiveness of the Congresshalle in the Europe-wide event industry and also continues to make it safe and attractive – for any kind of event.
This project is supported by the European Regional Development Fund and funds from the Saarland.
Participants and promotion of the measure
Builder: Congress-Centrum Saar GmbH
General planner: QBUS GmbH & Co. KG
Project management: SHS Strukturholding Saar GmbH
Contact person (CCS): Oliver Kuhn
This project is supported by the European Regional Development Fund and funds from the Saarland.
Planned construction sequence and construction times
Expected construction period: December 2021 until end of 2023. Expected start date 13.12.2021
A large part of the measures can be implemented during ongoing operations either between or parallel to the events.
However, there are key measures that cannot be implemented between individual events.
The “lion’s share” of the key measures will therefore be able to be carried out in 2022, as the Congresshalle is to be closed for 6 months. (Closure from 03.06.2022) . After that, the remaining work is planned to be carried out in parallel with the event operations until the end of 2023, without having any disruptive effect on the events.
What construction measures are planned in detail?
The measures include the planning and structural implementation of the renovation and modernisation of parts of the Congresshalle, as well as the implementation of the structural fire protection of the Congresshalle as part of the overall concept to strengthen the competitiveness of the tourism industry in the Saarland.
The following measures are planned
- Comprehensive fire alarm system with connection to the control centre of the professional fire brigade and large-scale renovation of the suspended ceilings
- Additional smoke and heat extraction systems
- Replacement and extension of all smoke and fire doors
- Widening of escape routes and external staircases
- New escape routes and doors to the outside
- Refurbishment of fire protection walls with new fire protection sectional doors / glazings
- Installation of smoke protection curtains in the foyer
- Fire protection refurbishment of the emergency stairwells
- Renovation of heat supply lines with firewalls
- Renovation of the ventilation ducts with additions
- Expansion of the voice alarm system
- Installation of a building radio system for rescue forces
- Converting the entire lighting system to LED luminaires
- Refurbishment of the lightning protection and earthing systems
- Renovation of handrails on the external staircases
Since almost all the construction work is being carried out in technical installations, behind the hall walls and ceilings, visitors will notice only a few visual changes after completion, because the “upgrading of the fire protection” of the Congresshalle is clearly the main focus of this measure.
Effects of the construction work on the event situation in the Congresshalle and Saarlandhalle
The CCS will ensure that the construction work, which will take place during ongoing operations, does not cause any restrictions for organisers and visitors as far as possible.
For the period of the Congresshalle’s closure, almost all events have been moved to the Saarlandhalle in consultation with the organisers. In addition to all the “Corona postponements”, this will lead to a very high utilisation of the Saarlandhalle in 2022/early 2023.
All CCS staff are expected to be housed in the Saarlandhalle during the Congresshalle closure period. All contact options via the ticket shop, head office, telephone and mail traffic, website and social media will remain unaffected; only the office location will change during this period for the departments that are normally housed in the Congresshalle:
Managing Director Ralf Kirch,
Event Management,
Technical Management,
Press and Marketing
Hall Catering First Choice.
Saarlandhalle I An der Saarlandhalle 1 I 66113 Saarbrücken I info@ccsaar.de I Head office: +49 681-41800