Next stage of window replacement at Anne Frank School
09.05.2025 – It will soon be quieter in even more classrooms for the pupils at Anne Frank School: following the installation of soundproof windows in all classrooms in Building B last year, the replacement in Building C is now continuing. The work is being commissioned and coordinated by GBM Service GmbH, a subsidiary of Stadtwerke Offenbach, in cooperation with the city's building construction management department.
GBM can often only carry out construction work with a high noise level during the vacations so that lessons are not disrupted. This can prolong some projects. At the Anne Frank School, thanks to the space available and good cooperation with the school management, the windows of the respective wing are also replaced during school hours. The affected classrooms can remain free. Work will therefore continue until the fall vacations, by which time the project should be completed.
New windows are necessary due to aircraft noise
The new windows are necessary because the school is located in the flight path of Frankfurt Airport. This creates a background noise that can make it difficult to hear in the classroom if the insulation is inadequate. "However, good listening comprehension is an essential part of learning, especially for primary school children who are supposed to learn the language and pronunciation correctly. If word endings are drowned out by aircraft noise, this can have negative consequences for language acquisition. In addition, the new windows also provide protection against the cold in winter and the heat in summer," says city councillor Paul-Gerhard Weiß, who is also responsible for urban planning and education.
State funds window replacement with 1.8 million euros
The replacement of the windows at the Anne Frank School is being funded by the funding program launched by the state of Hesse as a consequence of the NORAH (Noise Related Annoyance, Cognition, and Health) noise impact study. According to the relevant guidelines, this is intended to fund measures to prevent and compensate for the possible negative effects of aircraft noise at Frankfurt Airport on the reading performance of primary school pupils.
Around 1,800,000 euros in funding was approved for the Anne Frank School to replace the windows in the classrooms. However, the City of Offenbach's own contribution is 35 percent, as all windows were replaced, including those in the stairwell and toilets, for example. However, windows outside the classrooms are not eligible for funding, hence the difference.