Meet the 2025 ISPE FOYA Honorable Mention Award Winner: Erbe Elektromedizin GmbH

Project: Erbe 4.i

Erbe’s driving force is the continuous development of medical instruments and equipment that are an integral part of medical procedures in many countries, ensuring that patients receive the best possible technological solutions for medical treatment. Headquartered in Tübingen, Germany, Erbe has provided innovative solutions in medical technology since 1851. As a family-owned and operated business, Erbe is active in more than 110 countries. It has six supply and production plants and 19 sales and service locations all over the world. The new high precision surgical instruments development and manufacturing facility, Erbe 4.i, in Rangendingen, Germany, started commercial production in November 2023, was built with an innovative design and a focus on sustainability which has earned Erbe Elektromedizin GmbH recognition as one of the 2025 ISPE Facility of the Year Awards (FOYA) Honorable Mention winners.

The Erbe 4.i project is a centralized hub which is home to instrument development, certified manufacturing, and a training center of high precision instruments with worldwide distribution. The production facility includes a 269,000 square foot building complex that integrates production with 25,800 square feet of cleanroom, logistics, development, and administration. The uniqueness of the project lies in the combination of sustainability and functionality integrating regenerative materials like wood in the envelope, structure, and interior. The architecture is resource-efficient, utilizing timber and natural materials to create a visual connection with the surrounding nature. One breakthrough innovation is the implementation of a 25,800 square foot ISO-8 cleanroom within a timber structure building. Significant technical innovations were necessary to ensure integrity and tightness of the cleanroom environment within a non-rigid structural framework provided by the wooden roof structure.

This facility is one of the first industrial buildings in Germany to achieve the KfW-40+ efficiency house standard. The facility pursued a NetZero / CO₂-neutral approach through a combination of climate friendly energy systems including photovoltaic (1 megawatt PV, saving 400 tons of CO₂ per year) and regional biogas. Using responsibly and locally sourced wood as the primary construction material enabled 2,000 tons of CO₂ to be sequestered. The building was designed and constructed to use only 40% of the primary energy of a comparable reference building. This was achieved through excellent thermal insulation, the use of efficient heating technology, and the incorporation of renewable energy sources earning the Quality Certificate for Sustainable Buildings, awarded by the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building (BMWSB) in Germany.

In terms of construction, the facility was built not only with sustainability in mind but also with safety. Thanks to stringent safety measures and exemplary implementation, the construction site remained accident-free throughout the entire 486-day construction period. With a total of 386,490 construction hours, an impressive record was achieved without Lost Time Injury (LTI). The construction largely utilized prefabricated methods, with prefabricated timber frame and facade elements delivered just-in-time to the site. This approach shortened the construction period and increased precision, reducing construction waste and efficiently using resources.

Based on this innovative and sustainable design and implementing this project in a safe and sustainable manner, Erbe Elektromedizin GmbH is recognized as one of the 2025 ISPE FOYA Honorable Mention for their Erbe 4.i project in Rangendingen, Germany.

Supply Partners and Key Participants:

Manufacturer/Owner: Erbe Elektromedizin GmbH

Engineer/Architect: io-consultants

Commissioning Qualifications and Validation Services: io-consultants

General Contractor/Construction Manager: Wolfer & Goebel Bau GmbH

Piping and HVAC Subcontractor: SIEGLE + EPPLE GmbH & Co. KG

Major Equipment and Automation and Control Supplier: SIEGLE + EPPLE GmbH & Co. KG

About the Honorable Mention Category

The ISPE Facilities of the Year Awards (FOYA) Honorable Mention category recognizes projects that did not win a specific category but were successful in overcoming significant challenges in planning, execution, and delivery.