Working in an office building that straddles German and Dutch territory? Can it get any more international than this? The national borders are indicated with a line on the floor of the factory hall and offices of Solland Solar in Heerlen/Aachen.

The people of Imtech Building Services responsible for the technical solutions on this location have since become accustomed to this, but project leader Peter Mols is reminded of the consequences of this ‘borderline case’ on a daily basis. Solland Solar manufactures solar cells. By consciously positioning the building on the national border, the company is able to make optimal use of the subsidy schemes of two countries. A smart move, but it also means double the regulations.

‘Because of this unique location, we have to comply with two sets of legislation when it comes to issues such as building regulations, technical details, and the requirements for and functioning of fire safety equipment,’ explains Mols.‘You constantly have to bear that in mind. In the Netherlands, for example, matters are organised per region, whereas in Germany it is done on the basis of an integrated plan. This is just one of many examples of issues that require consultations with both governments again and again for us to do our work in the correct manner. The difference in philosophy is that few concessions are made in Germany, while the Netherlands takes a more cooperative approach. In any event, we have since learnt how to handle all of this. Quite unique!’