Hermann-Rietschel-Institute at TU Berlin

The Hermann-Rietschel-Institute (HRI) is considered the cradle of modern heating and air-conditioning technology: As early as 1885, Hermann Rietschel founded the “Testing Station for Heating and Ventilation Systems” – today HRI is the world’s oldest university institute in this field. Since then, its research results have had a decisive influence on the development of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning technology in Germany and internationally.

Research with impact
Under the direction of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Martin Kriegel, the focus is on balancing comfort, hygiene, and energy efficiency. The goal is to create healthy and comfortable indoor environments while simultaneously reducing energy consumption and CO₂ emissions. Special attention is given to cleanrooms and healthcare environments, where air quality is critical. Here, artificial intelligence (AI) and data-driven methods play an increasingly important role – for example, in analyzing airflow fields, predicting contamination risks, and intelligently controlling ventilation systems.

Broad research spectrum
HRI conducts research on all levels: from district planning with heating and cooling networks to energy-efficient building technology and indoor air quality of individual spaces. AI-supported simulations and optimizations open up new possibilities to connect classical building technology with modern data analysis methods. This is particularly relevant for cleanrooms and operating theatres, where ventilation systems are combined with real-time data and AI-based control algorithms to ensure both hygiene and energy efficiency.

Unique infrastructure
On 1,800 m², the institute offers test halls, airflow laboratories, two research cleanrooms, a research operating theatre, and its own computing cluster for complex simulations. This infrastructure is increasingly linked with AI methods for flow simulation, pattern recognition, and control – providing a Europe-wide unique platform for healthy, sustainable, and energy-efficient building design that bridges classical building technology with modern data-driven approaches.
 

Services of the Steinbeis Transfer Center
The Steinbeis Transfer Center for Energy, Comfort and Health in Buildings (STZ-EKG) translates the latest research of the Hermann-Rietschel-Institut (HRI) into practice. We support companies and public institutions with tailored solutions for energy-efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) – from entire districts to individual indoor spaces. Our services include integrated energy systems, detailed component analyses, and the optimization of indoor air quality and comfort using state-of-the-art measurement techniques and simulations. In this way, we combine scientific excellence with practical application for healthy and sustainable buildings.