The Hermann-Rietschel-Institut (HRI) evolved from the “Test Centre for Heating and Ventilation Equipment” founded by Hermann Rietschel in 1885. It is the world’s oldest university institute in its field.
Our teaching and research focuses on advancing energy efficiency in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems across different scales: districts, buildings, and indoor spaces, that promote well-being, health, and productivity while ensuring sustainable operation using renewable energy sources. Our work encompasses both experimental and theoretical approaches, including laboratory testing, building and system simulations, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and field studies to validate and improve efficiency in real-world applications. See our → Research Profile and → Studies & Teaching.
The HRI’s research and test results influence the development of heating and ventilation engineering in Germany, including the development of standards. Today, the department is named Energy, Comfort & Health in Buildings and is part of the Institute of Energy Engineering at TU Berlin, but the name “Hermann-Rietschel-Institut” has been retained due to its high profile.