The world’s most advanced electron microscope, laboratories kept self-operational with robotic technology, and the foremost research in Power-to-X. All that and much more is encompassed by the Climate Challenge Laboratory at DTU.

The Technical University of Denmark has gained new facilities for cross-sector research into technologies for the green transition. On November 20th, the official inauguration of the Climate Challenge Laboratory took place, where this important field is being explored through interdisciplinary collaboration among multiple research disciplines. The 10,000-square-meter building combines state-of-the-art laboratories with a seven-story timber office section and will be certified to both DGNB Gold and Heart.

Artelia has handled all engineering disciplines on the project, which was designed by Christensen & Co. Architects and constructed by MT Højgaard.

Investigations at the atomic scale
The world’s most advanced electron microscope has been installed in the basement, which is tailored to the extremely sensitive instrument. From our engineering perspective, a massive effort has been made to create a stable environment without temperature variations, acoustic influences, vibrations, and not least electromagnetic disturbances.

On the ground floor is the E-MAT laboratory, which is the most advanced experimental platform of its kind in Scandinavia. It offers a wide range of complementary deposition methods for advanced research and development of surfaces, interfaces, and structures for energy materials.

The E-MAT facility consists of 15 glovebox modules that are interconnected by a transfer system and house a series of advanced materials research equipment in a protected argon atmosphere. The glovebox environment houses 6 advanced materials deposition systems, including a laser cannon and a ceramic 3D printer.

Power-to-x
Higher up in the building, you will find technically demanding facilities for CAPeX—Pioneer Center for Accelerating P2X Materials Discovery. The center brings together leading Power-to-X experts from five Danish and three international universities with the aim of conducting fundamental strategic research across scientific disciplines and accelerating the development of scalable materials for the green transition.

The research utilizes, among other things, self-driving laboratories with autonomous robots that automate the selection process.

The Art of Conversation
At the heart of the building lies the atrium staircase, where two of the four artworks specially created for the building by artist Tue Greenfort, and donated by the Ny Carlsberg Foundation, are displayed.

The large glowing glass sun, “Helios,” rotates around itself with a speed and brightness governed by the intensity of the outdoor light. The work naturally complements its neighbor, “Photosynthesis,” which spirals 27 meters down through the atrium, drawing inspiration from cyanobacteria, better known as blue-green algae. These organisms are believed to have been the first to develop photosynthesis and produce oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere.

The artwork is intended to serve as a catalyst for spontaneous conversations among the building’s users. The pieces also resonate well with the research conducted at the site, explains Tejs Vegge, professor and head of CAPeX, in DTU’s latest newsletter on the Climate Challenge Laboratory:

“We seek many of our solutions in nature, for example, drawing inspiration from the ability of bacteria and enzymes to convert gases into chemicals—CO2 into formate and methanol, which can be used for maritime transport, or nitrogen into ammonia, which can be used for fertilizers. In this way, the two works are an incredible source of inspiration because they highlight the universal scale and the connection between the inorganic, like recycled solar cells, and the organic, where we can find the key to scalable solutions.”