Dynamic working environments require adaptable building services technology
Office buildings must offer employees a high level of comfort. However, they may only be used intensively for part of the week – mainly on weekdays and during the day. And it is precisely then that the demands on heating, ventilation, air conditioning and sanitary systems are particularly high. Awareness of energy use by the occupants may not be as important as in private homes. For example, windows might be left open while the heating is running. Ultimately, the operating costs are borne by the company.
Operators have a significant role in system configuration and operation. However, existing buildings may contain older, oversized or suboptimally configures pump systems. The situation is exacerbated when system upgrade budgets are limited and there's uncertainty about energy price developments. Depending on the organization and building, ESG requirements, EU taxonomy relevance and national rules may affect planning and operation.
Around 40 per cent of office buildings in Europe were built before 1970 and may require energy-related renovation depending on their condition (source: Energy efficiency of the building stock in the EU). However, with the current rate of renovation at one percent, the European target of a three percent annual renovation rate is still not being met.
For long-term modernisation decisions (like the 2050 net-zero target), comfort, energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness can be considered together. This is because, although offices only account for around five percent of building space, their energy requirements are around 1.5 to 2 times the average energy consumption of all buildings. (Source: European Building Stock Analysis by Eurac Research, Institute for Renewable Energy ebsa_web.pdf)
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Office buildings may follow clear usage patterns: weekdays, during the day, with significantly reduced usage in the evenings and at weekends. Technical systems must be able to reflect these dynamics. Consistently aligning systems with actual demand can create a basis for project-specific operating optimisation while taking the required comfort parameters and availability into account.
We view office buildings as an interconnected overall system and offer pumps and pump systems for all central areas – from heating, cooling and drinking water supply to drainage, wastewater disposal and firefighting water supply.
Intelligent control concepts such as Multi-Flow Adaptation enable coordinated interaction between feeder pumps and pumps in the adjacent heating loops of multi-storey office buildings. This allows flow rates to be automatically adjusted to changing usage patterns and can support reliable, energy-efficient operation across all floors.
Building automation is the key starting point in office buildings. The Wilo-Monitor is a useful addition to existing building management systems. It can be used to read, analyse and clearly display additional system‑specific data.
Our highlight applications for office buildings
Office buildings place special demands on technical systems: fluctuating usage, high comfort requirements, and a clear focus on operational reliability and resource-efficient use for the operator. Our solutions are designed for the stated applications and operating parameters.
Water distribution and boosting
Demand-based water availability
In office buildings, usage and demand vary significantly throughout the day. In the morning, during breaks, or when occupancy is high, water must be available immediately at the right pressure. A suitably designed pressure-boosting system can support the required water pressure under varying demand.
- Pressure control under varying loads within the specified operating limits
- Designed to supply the specified operating limits
- Adapted operation outside of busy office hours
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC)
Pleasant indoor climate – tailored to everyday office life
A suitably controlled indoor climate can contribute to workplace comfort. At the same time, weather conditions mean that heating and air conditioning requirements change constantly throughout the day and week. Modern, electronically controlled systems respond flexibly to these fluctuations and can adjust heating and cooling output within their design limits.
- Precise adjustment of volume flows
- Demand-based control of energy input
- Seamless integration into existing building management systems
Drinking water hygiene
Quality and operational reliability
During off-peak hours, on weekends, or on public holidays, stagnation can occur in drinking water pipes. Intelligent circulation systems help keep drinking water moving, reducing the risk of stagnation and supporting a consistently high level of drinking water hygiene.
- Central monitoring of water temperatures
- Domestic hot water circulation within the pipe network
- Centralised, automated flushing procedures with configurable flushing volumes
Wastewater collection and transport
Reliable drainage for changing conditions
During heavy rain periods or sudden downpours, large volumes of water can accumulate on properties, outdoor areas and parking areas within a short period of time. Powerful drainage systems help remove this water quickly and in a controlled manner. In contrast, the amount of wastewater generated in buildings depends on actual usage and fluctuates throughout the day and week. Robust systems are designed to support reliable wastewater transport away from the building.
- High operational reliability within the specified application
- Designed for long-lasting, continuous operation within specified use and maintenance conditions
Firefighting
Supporting safety for people and infrastructure
In office buildings, the primary concern in the event of a fire is the safety of employees, followed by the protection of workplaces, IT infrastructure, and sensitive technology. A reliable fire-fighting water supply supports a rapid and controlled response in an emergency and can be integrated into existing building services and tailored to the building’s usage concept.
- Availability in case of fire
- Provision of pressure and volume flow as required
- Integration into existing security concepts
Rainwater utilisation
Using rainwater for building operations
Rainwater collected from roof surfaces can be used for building operations, for example for toilet flushing or irrigation of green spaces. This can reduce the amount of drinking water required for these applications
- Use of rainwater for toilets or irrigation of green spaces
- Potential reduction in drinking water demand
- Integration into existing technology and usage concepts
Successful projects from across Europe
Our references show how modern pump and system technology can support the efficient operation of both existing and new office buildings.
Staal-Kade office building in Amsterdam, Netherlands
A building steeped in history: designed in the 1960s by architect Arthur Staal, the building underwent extensive modernisation in 2023 and was awarded the 2024 BREEAM "Outstanding" certificate for sustainability as part of the renovation. A central element of the renovation was the integration of a rainwater utilisation system. It collects and performs treatment on rainwater, which is used in the building's operations for purposes such as flushing toilets.
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The system can reduce the amount of drinking water required for selected building applications and contributes to relevant ESG assessment criteria. It is combined with a green roof that retains rainwater and contributes to the thermal performance of the roof structure. Additional filtration helps maintain consistent water quality when organic matter is present. In this way, the existing office building has been technically and functionally upgraded in line with current technical requirements.
DATEV Campus in Nuremberg, Germany
The DATEV IT campus in Nuremberg is one of the largest office and administrative locations of its kind in Germany. The campus covers a total area of around 100,000 square metres and combines modern working environments with technical infrastructure with redundancy and availability targets.
Wilo implemented comprehensive solutions for the project’s specified load and operating profiles.
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These include systems for heating, cooling, and air conditioning, as well as for drinking water supply, pressure boosting, drainage, and firefighting. All systems are designed for stable, demand-oriented operation and are integrated into the central building management system. The combination of powerful system technology, intelligent control and a high level of redundancy supports comfort, operational reliability and availability even under fluctuating utilisation – important prerequisites for the operation of a large office and IT site.
Brain Park office complex in Krakow, Poland
Brain Park is one of the largest office locations in Kraków. Its 10 above-ground floors offer 42,740 m² of office space as well as service and catering rooms. The architecture is designed for dense use, flexible space concepts, and high comfort requirements—with correspondingly complex demands on the technical building equipment.
High-performance pump systems were used for heating, cooling, drinking water distribution, and dewatering, designed to support stable operating conditions even when demand occurs simultaneously in several parts of the building.
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The system can be centrally controlled and adapted to fluctuating loads throughout the day and week. This is how it supports stable and highly controllable building operations, even during periods of high occupancy and changing demands.
Customised service solutions for office buildings
The cost-effective operation of office buildings can be supported by reliable technology in the background. Depending on the service scope, support can include commissioning, maintenance and optimisation via regular analysis and adjustment.
Digital solutions
Control pumps intelligently, connect systems and make operating data visible – for greater transparency and targeted optimisation of system operation.
Energy Solutions
Identify energy-saving potential, analyse operating data and derive suitable measures for energy-conscious system operation.
Spaces for productive work
Office buildings are much more than just functional spaces. They are places where people work together, ideas are born, and value is created. When technical systems work reliably, quietly and in line with demand in the background, office rooms become spaces for concentration, productivity and well-being.
Our solutions help to support the technical modernisation of office buildings – both in existing buildings and new builds. They combine economic viability with modern, demand-oriented technology and put the people who use these working environments every day at the centre.
FAQ | Frequently asked questions about solutions for office buildings
How can existing office buildings be modernised efficiently?
Existing buildings may offer optimisation opportunities depending on their condition and operation, as technical systems are often outdated and their size and control systems are frequently not tailored to actual usage. Efficient modernisation can begin with an analysis of existing pumps and system technology and focuses on targeted measures within the existing building stock.
This is achieved through improved system settings. Demand-based control, digital transparency, and the gradual advancement of existing technology can help reduce operating costs, support user comfort, and facilitate compliance with regulatory requirements, depending on the specific building and system configuration. A complete replacement is not always necessary and may be considered only where further development of the existing system is not suitable.
What role does monitoring play in the operation of office buildings?
Monitoring creates transparency regarding the actual operation of technical systems in office buildings. Operating states, running times, and anomalies become visible, providing operating data that can be used for targeted optimisation analysis. Monitoring can provide indications of inefficient operating conditions and can support maintenance planning. It can also provide indications that support preventive actions, particularly in existing buildings. This makes building operation more controllable and supports project-specific long-term cost analysis.
Is optimisation possible even without an existing building management system?
Yes. Even if no building management system is available, pumps and pump systems can be monitored digitally. Our Wilo-Monitor solution enables the collection of relevant operating data, thereby creating the basis for data-driven operation.
This is particularly interesting for smaller or older office buildings that do not have a central building management system or when it is not intended to modernise such a system.
How can comfort and cost-effectiveness be combined in everyday office life?
In office buildings, usage and demand fluctuate significantly throughout the day and week. Automatically controlled systems can support the specified climate and supply parameters when needed.
At the same time, they help reduce unnecessary loads outside office hours. This can support a pleasant indoor climate, demand-based water supply, and economically oriented operation.
What are the advantages of demand-driven pump systems in multi-storey office buildings?
Multi-storey office buildings place special demands on pressure conditions and flow rates. Demand-based pump systems automatically adjust their performance to current usage. To achieve this, the flow rates of feeder pumps and pumps for distribution to the various heating loops can be intelligently coordinated with one another via Multi-Flow Adaptation (according to configured control parameters).
This can support a stable and consistent supply across all floors within the designed pressure and flow limits and help reduce energy consumption during operation.
How do digital solutions support compliance with regulatory requirements?
Digital transparency in system operation can help document energy consumption based on data captured at defined measurement points and make optimisation measures more transparent. Monitoring and analysis tools can provide data for selected reporting or technical evidence requirements where the applicable rules require such data.
At the same time, they provide operating data that can be incorporated into investment analyses and support the long-term development of the building.
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We support you from analysis to ongoing operation - with solutions tailored to your existing building.