Working group 1 "Building materials, construction and energy"

The working group “Building materials, construction and energy” (WG 1) is dedicated to technical innovations with a focus on individual buildings. It will analyse existing obstacles for more affordable housing and how costs could potentially be reduced – for example through serial and modular building, increased use of digital tools and circular business models. There is a particular focus on reviewing existing standards in residential construction and simplifying building regulations.

Fields of action

The working group has defined three fields of action. In each case, the focus is on existing buildings - i.e. adding storeys, redensification and reuse.

  1. Generally recognized rules of technology (German: allgemeine Regeln der Technik, aRdT) 
    The goal is to develop recommendations for appropriate building standards to make construction simpler and, above all, more cost-effective. This could include allowing not only expensive comfort standards but also more affordable, adequate minimum standards—such as in sound insulation.
  2. Modulare and serial building
    Obstacles under building regulations should be removed, but acceptance problems also need to be addressed and reduced. In this context, the legal framework for reusing building components should also be regulated.
  3. Adding storeys, redensification, reuse - setting incentives, promoting acceptance
    The aim is to develop recommendations to strengthen investment in existing buildings and for more storeys, redensification and reuse. Topics being discussed: possible incentivisation of the provision of space by private individuals/co-operatives or cooperatives, instruments for local authorities to simplify building in existing buildings and climate policy approaches to increase incentives for existing buildings.

Members of working group 1

WG 1 at its kick-off meeting in June 2024

Lead

  • Dr.-Ing. Daniela Kiefer
    Head of Product Management Isokorb®, Schöck Bauteile GmbH
  • Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stefan Winter
    Ordinarius of the Chair of Timber Structures and Building Construction, TU Munich

Members

  • Dominik Campanella
    Managing Director, Concular GmbH
  • Sarah Dungs
    Chairwoman of the Association for Building in Existing Contexts e.V.; Managing Director, Greyfield Group; Board of Greyfield foundation
  • Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Graf
    Head of Research at the Department of Structures and Materials, Faculty of Architecture, Rhineland-Palatinate University of Technology Kaiserslautern-Landau
  • Prof. Dr.-Ing. Annette Hafner
    Head of the Chair of Resource Efficient Building, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ruhr University Bochum
  • Michael Halstenberg
    Lawyer, Franßen & Nusser Rechtsanwälte PartGmbB
  • Josef Huber
    Managing Partner, Huber & Sohn GmbH & Co. KG
  • Tobias Karlhuber
    Architect, Robert Meyer und Tobias Karlhuber Architekten
  • Frank-Thomas Kronsbein
    Product Manager Residential Buildings, GOLDBECK Technologies GmbH
  • Silke Küstner
    Senior Project Manager Circular Economy, WWF Germany
  • Pia Lütkenhaus
    Management Assistant, B. Lütkenhaus GmbH
  • Dr. Jan Wenker
    Group Director Sustainability & Innovation, Brüninghoff GmbH & Co. KG
  • Petra Wurmer-Weiß
    Consultant, Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Advice Center (BEN) of the Bavarian Chamber of Architects
© Schöck Bauteile GmbH

Interview

3 questions for… Dr.-Ing. Daniela Kiefer

© Ulrich Mayer

Interview

3 questions for… Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stefan Winter

Get to know the other two working groups

WG 2 Urban and neigbourhood developoment

WG 2 deals with issues relating to the requirements and potential of integrated neighborhood development. 

More about WG 2

WG 3 Transformation and implementation strategies

In collaboration with the other two WGs, WG 3 is working on the possible transfer of solutions into practice

More about WG 3

Contact