Germany holds Building Ministers' Conference to address construction costs

At the 149th Building Ministers' Conference in Berlin, German federal and state authorities reached agreements to reduce construction costs. Key outcomes include the creation of a 'Cost-Reduced Construction' platform designed to simplify building laws and consolidate standards across different federal states to facilitate knowledge transfer to municipalities and the housing industry.

Participants also discussed the introduction of 'Building Type E' (Gebäudetyp E), with a legislative draft expected by the end of the year. This initiative aims to provide flexibility regarding high-cost comfort standards to accelerate housing construction.

Separately, a coalition of 70 organizations, including Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH), Architects for Future, and the Anti-Abriss-Allianz, has called for stricter regulations regarding building demolitions. The group is advocating for a mandatory permit requirement for demolitions and an amendment to the Model Building Code. They argue that building policy should prioritize the preservation, renovation, and repurposing of existing structures over demolition and new construction to better support climate protection and resource conservation.