Business4you stages Hagneck hydropower plant

Bielersee Kraftwerke (BIK), a partner plant of BKW and Energie Service Biel/Bienne (ESB), operates the hydroelectric power plant on the Aare-Hagneck Canal alongside the power plants in Bözingen and Brügg: the most modern and advanced in Switzerland.

"What blood is to man, water is to the earth", reads a quote from Hermann Lahm on the walls of the Hagneck hydroelectric power plant. The wall prints were designed by Business4you as part of the staging of the new visitor center and the associated exhibition. The main task was to convey the complex topic of electricity generation from hydropower and the sustainability of the power plant to the public in an understandable and interactive way as part of a positive image transfer. This included the visual design of the interior and exterior as well as the conception of a flexible visitor tour and various communication tools that can be used for other purposes in addition to the guided tours. Among other things, the rough concept and script for the image film "From the drop of water to the socket" was created.

A presentation on the history of the weir, a magnetic wall and floor prints are also part of the exhibition design. Business4you was also responsible for a picture gallery about the creation of the new hydroelectric power plant in the weir corridor and a time-lapse film about the construction of the weir. In addition, there is a signage and labeling concept that includes information boards, illustrative comparisons and philosophical quotes on the subject of water, which pick up visitors at different levels of understanding. In addition to registered visitor groups, passers-by seeking relaxation also find their way to the Hagneck hydropower plant, which is why more detailed information boards were designed for them in the outdoor area. Even cyclists passing the weir spontaneously stop to read.

The staging in and around the visitor center included the definition and development of a joint appearance for the partner plants BKW and ESB. In this regard, Business4you developed, designed and implemented the logo, business cards, a new color concept and the clothing for the visitor guides. In addition, the structure of the existing website was revised and the layout of the PowerPoint presentations was given a new look. A total of 20 elements were implemented in various designs and materials, from the aluminum information board to the fish as a floor print, and in two languages.

In addition to staging the visitor center, business4you was also tasked with designing and implementing the opening celebrations. For the VIP event for invited guests from business and politics on Friday, 23 October, and the open day for the public on Saturday, 24 October, an event concept was developed, the events organized and supervised on site. For the VIP event, business4you took over the invitation process in advance and organized and set up the stage technology and infrastructure for the presentations by representatives from BKW, ESB, politics and the municipality. - Of course, special effects at the turbine start and oversized Plexiglas keys for the official handover of the keys to the hydropower plant to Barbara Schwickert, Vice-Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of BIK and Biel municipal councillor, were a must.

Because BIK wanted to offer both guided and free-flow tours to the public on the open day, business4you developed a signage concept that covered both requirements. This included various site plans, signposts and information signs.

However, as all expectations were exceeded on Saturday with 7,500 visitors, only the free-flow tours were offered. The interested crowd of visitors therefore explored the interior and exterior areas of the hydropower plant on their own, looked at pictures and videos of how it was built and had the function of the turbines explained to them by experts. - As is well known, both the official opening and the open day for the public generated an enormous media response, which ultimately benefits not only the new hydropower plant but also renewable energies in general. (pd)