Leipzig's new environmental research building: 41 million for our future!

Leipzig's new environmental research building: 41 million for our future!

A new laboratory and office complex for the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research (UFZ) is being built in Leipzig, which will be ceremoniously inaugurated on November 26, 2025. The project, estimated to cost 41 million euros, represents a significant step in research into environmental technologies. The new complex is intended to intensify research into bacterial hydrogen generators and ecological risks and offers space for around 170 employees.

The inauguration will take place in the presence of the Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer and other guests. A panel discussion on the topic of “Environmental and climate protection as a driver of economic and social development” is also planned. This underlines the role of the UFZ as one of the world's leading centers for environmental research and its mission to investigate the consequences of human activity on the environment. Loud Oiger The UFZ was originally founded after reunification and has developed significantly since its founding in December 1991.

Scope and construction progress

With a total area of ​​around 4,600 square meters, the new building includes 80 offices, 52 laboratories, clean rooms and a lecture room for up to 100 people. The research fields in the new building include topics such as chemicals in the environment, environmental and biotechnology as well as risk analysis. Originally planned for 2017, construction began in summer 2019 and the complex was scheduled to be completed in mid-2024.

The building volume consists of a low-rise building and a high-rise building up to 35 meters high, which will offer both office and laboratory space. The new building is a sign of the UFZ's increased research needs and ambitions to carry out further pioneering work in the areas of environmental research and sustainable technologies.

Collaboration and research priorities

The UFZ attaches great importance to national and international cooperation, especially in Europe. The aim is to maximize the impact of research and to be an active contributor to scientific networks, such as the European Research Partnership PARC and the Science-Policy Interface NORMAN. This shows the close collaboration with various institutions, such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to create a toxic-free environment that protects healthy people in a healthy environment.

Research at the UFZ covers a wide range of disciplines, including systems toxicology, cell toxicology, and molecular systems biology, highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary work. This expertise makes the UFZ a sought-after partner for science and industry.

In this context, the Center for Environmental Research and Sustainable Technologies (UFT) at the University of Bremen is another example of promoting sustainability. With over 100 employees and a combination of biology, chemistry and engineering, the UFT relies on interdisciplinary approaches to develop environmentally friendly technologies.

Overall, it shows that Leipzig and its research institutions, including the UFZ, play a key role in the field of environmental sciences in order to overcome future challenges in environmental and climate protection.