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Today the VELUX Group opens a hub for innovation in an old wooden warehouse converted into a modern workplace for creativity to thrive. LKR Innovation House has a carbon footprint well below similar buildings in Denmark due to the renovation and the reuse of more than 50 percent of the original materials.

Located in Østbirk, Denmark, LKR Innovation House gathers around 500 VELUX employees focusing on the further development of roof windows and accessories, plus other innovation that goes beyond the Group’s core products. It is named after Lars Kann-Rasmussen, son of the founder of VELUX.

“With this amazingly transformed building, we now have a first-class innovation hub for developing the best products and solutions in the building industry for our customers,” says Tina Mayn, Executive Vice President, Products & Innovation in the VELUX Group.

“LKR Innovation House is also a shining example of our commitment to renovation and more sustainable building methods and materials.”

A building for the future transformed with respect for its past

The 30-year-old building is restored and renovated with respect for its initial design. By reusing and repurposing as many as possible of the existing materials it was built in, more than half of the original materials were spared in the transformation process. This means that about 55 percent or 4,576 tonnes of materials have been saved compared to what it would take to construct a new building of the same size and function.

With a carbon footprint of only 4.6 kg CO₂e/m²/year, LKR Innovation House is future proof beyond current projections for Danish building legislation in 2029.

‘Experiment in wood’ by Lars Kann-Rasmussen

It was Lars Kann-Rasmussen’s idea to construct the original building using primarily wood as the main material due to environmental considerations. Wherever possible, materials like concrete and steel were substituted with untreated wood. The wood was intentionally untreated to test the durability and thereby sustainability of using it as a primary building material.

When inaugurated on May 15 in 1995, the building was thus referred to as ‘an experiment in wood’ because of the untreated and responsibly grown wood sourced from Danish and Swedish forests. It has stood the test of time as the wood used on the facade of the building remains in good condition and is expected to continue to withstand.

Synergies in innovation

LKR Innovation House is transformed into a modern workplace with offices, laboratories and workshops to drive VELUX product development. These workspaces are expected to spark a high degree of collaboration and creativity and result in significant innovation synergies.

New products, technologies and applications can be designed and developed under one roof and tested in production facilities in nearby buildings before going into production at VELUX manufacturing facilities around Europe.

“I am very excited about what we can achieve by bringing colleagues together in LKR Innovation House to co-create, test and develop what will drive the future of VELUX,” says Tina Mayn.

“We worked closely with our partners to use the best materials and processes in this building and to bring as much daylight and fresh air inside. The result is a unique atmosphere where creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship will undoubtedly flourish.”

Optimised indoor climate and focus on nature

Fresh air and daylight flow optimally throughout the building so its indoor climate is ideal for comfortable and healthy working conditions. Nature is also a key element in the building’s interior design. There are courtyards with trees and most workspaces have views of either these or outdoor planted areas to inspire creativity.

A recreational park open to the general public called Nature Østbirk is also visible from parts of LKR Innovation House and adds to the peaceful ambience. This park is in a 70,000 m² forest owned for the last 30 years by the VELUX Group.

Key facts about LKR Innovation House

• The greatest savings of building materials came from maintaining and repurposing the original concrete slab, existing roof construction and supportive wooden beams (glulam purlin), wooden facades, roof overhang and internal concrete walls.
• LKR Innovation House has a carbon footprint of 4.6 kg CO₂e/m²/year. (The carbon footprint is calculated by Søren Jensen engineers and third-party verified by Artelia engineers.)
• The carbon footprint is well below Danish building regulations for offices, and it will remain below requirements for years to come. At the time of inauguration in May 2025, the level is at 12 kg CO₂e/m²/year, dropping to 7.5 kg CO₂e/m²/year for offices from July 2025, then to 6.8 kg CO₂e/m²/year in 2027 and to 6.1 CO₂e/m²/year in 2029.
• LKR Innovation House is located in Østbirk, in western Denmark where VELUX established in 1946 its first-ever factory to manufacture roof windows.
• The building that houses LKR Innovation House was originally built in 1994 as a warehouse and logistics centre made of wood and it was opened in 1995.
• Wood is used as the primary construction material in the conversion to LKR Innovation House to reduce embodied carbon.
• The original wood and other materials in LKR Innovation House have been carefully restored and repurposed.
• Construction work to convert the warehouse began in February 2023.
• The original 9,500 m² warehouse is modified to meet current building standards and converted inside to suit its new purpose as a state-of-the-art innovation facility of 14,000 m².
• The building can be easily adapted to changing workplace needs as it has a flexible internal modular-based grid system.
• The 20,000 m² area surrounding the building is landscaped with respect for the natural habitat.
• Nature is integrated into the building, so that as far as possible each work area has a view to a green courtyard or the surrounding natural landscape.
• More than 400 VELUX windows are installed in LKR Innovation House to bring daylight and fresh air into most indoor spaces.

Read more on https://buildforlife.velux.com/en/LKRInnovationHouse