The energy renovation of the Vivarium building is currently underway. This investment goes beyond improving the building’s energy efficiency – its aim is to ensure high-quality and stable conditions for the housing of laboratory animals and, consequently, for the scientific research conducted at the Faculty.
The Vivarium is a key infrastructure facility for biomedical research; however, the building in which it has been housed has long been affected by high energy consumption and inadequate thermal and acoustic insulation. The energy renovation project addresses these issues systematically: an ETICS façade is being installed, the attic floor is being thermally insulated, outdated air-handling units and piping are being replaced, and a heat pump is being installed.
These interventions will result in lower annual heating energy requirements and reduced primary energy consumption, while ensuring appropriate acoustic quality of the premises – an especially important consideration given the sensitive conditions required for maintaining the Vivarium. Investment in this infrastructure therefore directly contributes both to reducing energy consumption and to improving the quality of scientific research, thereby indirectly supporting broader socio-economic development.
The project is currently in its final implementation phase, and its successful completion and achievement of the planned objectives are expected shortly.
Project details
PROJECT TITLE: Energy Renovation of the Vivarium Building of the Faculty of Medicine in Rijeka at 20 Braće Branchetta Street, 51000 Rijeka
FUNDING SOURCE: National Recovery and Resilience Plan
PROJECT CODE: NPOO.C6.1.R1-I1.04.0331
PROJECT LEAD: Prof. Josip Španjol, MD, PhD
TOTAL PROJECT VALUE: EUR 677,908.20
GRANT FUNDING: EUR 303,468.62
PROJECT START DATE: March 2023
PROJECT END DATE: December 2026
FUNDING CALL: Energy Renovation of Public Sector Buildings – Grants from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan 2021–2026
ABOUT THE PROJECT:
Project activities include the installation of an ETICS façade, thermal insulation of the attic floor, replacement of the existing air-handling units, installation of a heat pump, and replacement of deteriorated piping.
The energy renovation of the Vivarium building of the Faculty of Medicine in Rijeka (MEDRI) includes energy efficiency measures targeting the building envelope and technical systems, with the aim of reducing annual heating energy demand (QH,nd) and primary energy consumption (Eprim), while ensuring appropriate acoustic quality of the premises.
The energy renovation of the Vivarium building represents an investment in scientific research infrastructure aimed at reducing energy consumption, providing optimal conditions for the high-quality housing and breeding of laboratory animals, and promoting scientific activity essential to the institution and to broader socio-economic development.