The Education & Research 1 building (abbreviated to O&N 1) was the first research and education building on the Gasthuisberg campus and was built in 1971. It houses academic activities, including four auditoriums, a foyer area, and several seminar rooms. In addition, various research activities are accommodated on the upper floors: not only laboratories and support rooms, but also offices and an imaging zone.

The building connects to the logistics tunnel that links various buildings on Gasthuisberg.

O&N 1 has not undergone any major modifications in terms of central technical systems over the past 30 years. The current designs no longer comply with current safety, health, and environmental standards. Furthermore, the primary installation structures have reached the end of their service life. In order to continue conducting biotechnological research in this building in a sufficiently safe manner, a complete and thorough renovation is planned, to be carried out in two phases.

The first phase involves the renovation of the north and central wings. In a later second phase, the south wing will also be renovated.

The program comprises five floors (levels 5 to 9) with research laboratories, with levels 3, 4, and 10 containing the technical rooms needed to integrate all the installations into the building.

Ingenium was responsible for the complete design of the technical installations. In a concept phase, the 'backbone' of the technical systems was designed in collaboration with the client, with all preconditions being laid down to allow for flexible use of the laboratories. In the detailed design phase, all spaces were then designed in accordance with the desired program.

During this renovation, KUL also took the step of providing fossil-free heat production for the entire building, as well as the surrounding buildings, using large heat pump installations. Ingenium investigated whether the new heat pump installations could also heat seven existing surrounding buildings in a sustainable manner, thereby taking an important step towards a fossil-free campus. This resulted in the construction of a low-temperature heat network throughout the campus, with a new heat pump installation in O&N1, taking the first steps towards a CO2-neutral site.

Finally, a design dossier was completed at the end of 2024, and implementation began in mid-2025, with the works scheduled for completion in mid-2027, when KUL will be able to use the building.

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