• More than 20 measures are on the list for the 2025 school repair program.
• The program has been in existence for more than 20 years and four million euros are available each year.
• The largest school construction measures are currently underway as part of the G8/G9 expansion.

Whether it's the school repair program, the so-called G8/G9 expansion for the return of grammar schools to the Abitur after year 13 or other major renovation measures: The city of Aachen is continuously investing in its school buildings. With "G8/G9" alone, three out of four planned schools are currently in the middle of the construction phase and new rooms are soon to be used. At the Rhein-Maas-Gymnasium in Burtscheid, the science rooms have been renovated and a new storey will be added to the wooden "science wing". Among other things, this will create nine classrooms. "We chose this construction method because of its sustainability, but also because of the statics of the old existing building. It's simply easier," explains Georg Platen, Deputy Team Leader "Project Management" at the municipal building management department. A total of around eleven million will be spent there. The Inda-Gymnasium in Kornelimünster will also be extended by six classes and a multifunctional room with a two-storey extension, where a good eight million will be invested. Planning for the inner-city grammar school St. Leonhard is currently underway. Once all four schools have been extended, over 500 additional children and young people will be able to attend the four grammar schools.

Couven-Gymnasium to be expanded for an additional 150 pupils

The Couven-Gymnasium on Lütticher Straße near the city center is also being expanded as part of the G8/G9 expansion. Building wing "D", which dates back to 1999, will be renovated from spring 2024 to spring 2026 in order to be able to accommodate more pupils from summer 2026. On the second floor, a 1.50-metre-wide flat roof strip was demolished and rebuilt to extend the classrooms. New room volume was created on the second floor following the demolition of a green flat roof. According to Elke Bechlenberg-Bleckmann, Building Management of the City of Aachen and project manager for the Couven, the project is well on schedule. Here, too, the focus is on wood: the building material is to remain partially visible on the inside and the new part of the wing will have a wooden façade on the outside - in addition to the large window areas, which will prevent the closed façade from appearing too bulky. "I'm also glad that we were almost exclusively able to commission companies based here," says the project manager. Proximity often makes collaboration easier. She is confident that the currently relocated classes will be able to move out of the containers in the schoolyard as early as February or March. "These are great containers, they are perfectly insulated. Teaching was no problem there before the vacations, even in the extreme heat," says principal Michael Göbbels. He is satisfied with the cooperation and the progress - even if not every wish could be fulfilled. There will be space for an additional 150 young people - a total of around 1,300 pupils will then be able to attend Couven. After the conversion, almost 628 square meters have been gained. A photovoltaic system will also be installed on the roof and part of the roof will be greened again.

But even the best new class is useless without the right furniture and equipment. This is where the School Department from the Youth and Schools Division comes into play. Sabrina Schütze, deputy head of department and Verena Keusgen, overall coordinator of the "Measures for the reintroduction of G9 at grammar schools" are satisfied: "We are in close and very good contact with the schools. Which chairs, but also which digital equipment is required? We are not set in stone," says coordinator Keusgen, who promises that the furniture will be there when the young people move into the new rooms. In total, more than 6.3 million euros will be invested in the Couven-Gynasium.

For over 20 years: School repair program

Compared to the sums invested in the G8/G9 expansion, the four million euros earmarked for the school repair program in this year's budget seem more like "small stuff". But the list of measures is long and the four million has been invested continuously every year for over 20 years. "Floors and ceilings," says Anne Dercks, Facility Management of the City of Aachen, Team Leader "Property Management of School Buildings" as the main focus. And if you look at the list of more than 20 measures planned for this year, the ceilings and floors in many schools and school gyms are indeed being renovated or replaced, such as in the Malmedyer Straße elementary school gym, which is being given a new sprung floor. A larger measure: the large windows in the swimming pool hall at Karl-Kuck-Straße elementary school are being replaced. Dercks: "An appropriately insulated window can easily cost over 30,000 euros." A somewhat more costly measure: the toilet facilities in the gymnasium at Alkuinschule are being renovated. However, the floor plan had to be adapted for this. The final work is currently underway and the school hopes to be finished shortly after the vacations. We certainly won't finish the entire list: "We always take on a lot at the beginning of the year. We don't usually manage to do everything. We have to implement many measures during the vacations so as not to disrupt lessons, and it's often the same companies that we commission. However, they can usually only be on one construction site," says Dercks. But next year, the school repair program will enter the next round.

"Project profile" Couven-Gymnsium extension

The entire construction project - erection of the interim containers and conversion of the school - is subject to planning permission with regard to building regulations, fire protection and accessibility.

• Building application for interim container, June 2023 to August 2023 for the relocation of three to four school classes during the construction period
• Building application to add a storey and extend the "D wing", July 2023 to January 2024

Gross floor area of new space gained on the second floor due to the extension: 392 square meters. Total floor space after conversion of the first and second floors in the north section: 627.41 square meters.

Resolutions

Planning decision on April 27, 2021 (Committee for Schools and Further Education)

Construction decision on April 27, 2023 (Committee for Schools and Further Education, Planning Committee)

Planned conversion measures during ongoing school operations

• Extension of the second floor and addition of a storey to the second floor for an additional 150 pupils, including eight classrooms, five additional classrooms and a multifunctional room
• Construction of a barrier-free WC on the second floor
• New façades in timber panel construction with timber cladding on the outside and non-combustible fiber cement panels on fire walls
• Roof renovation of the existing roof and a new roof over the room extension
• Equipping the entire roof area with photovoltaics (approx. 400 square meters) and a green roof (approx. 190 square meters) on the roof extension
• Addition of a four-storey steel escape staircase as a second escape route, east façade, as more pupils than before will have to leave the building in the event of a fire after the conversion. The classes are connected by "bypass doors"
• Replacement of five smoke protection doors with T30RS doors (higher standard)
• Replacement of new electrical distribution boards
• Construction of battery room for safety lighting

Construction progress since start of construction April 2024

• Construction of the interim containers for four school classes from April to July 2024
• and outsourcing
• Demolition work and dismantling of the green/tilled flat roof from August 2024
• Gutting of the affected part of the building and dismantling of the facades
• Structural work
• Construction of the new wooden panel facade with wooden aluminum windows
• Construction of new classrooms using drywall construction
• Adaptation, conversion of plumbing, electrical installations and telecommunications
• Replacement of five smoke protection doors with T30 RS doors

The following trades from August 2025

• Roof work with greenery and photovoltaic system
• Screed and plaster work
• Flooring and tiling work
• Carpentry work and acoustic measures in all classrooms
• Painting work
• Erection of steel escape staircase with foundation and connection of the first and second floors
• Adaptation of outdoor facilities

Dates

• Return of the three outsourced classes to the building in spring 2026
• New school year starts after the 2026 summer vacation

Costs

• Total costs: 5,544,000 euros
• Total project sum including variance, risk costs and operating equipment: EUR 6,325,000

Further G8/G9 measures

• Rhein-Maas-Gymnasium G8/G9: Extension of administration, 1st floor, asbestos removal, science rooms
• Inda-Gymnasium G8/G9: two-storey extension

• Gymnasium St. Leonhard G8/G9: a) Conversions in the existing building b) Extension of the Mensa building (in planning)