Universities are calling for a building transition: Germany on the way to climate neutrality!

Universities are calling for a building transition: Germany on the way to climate neutrality!

Today, March 9, 2025, the Institute of Architecture of the TU Berlin and the university network “Together for the Building Transition” published an open letter on the upcoming federal election. This letter, which was signed by 32 colleges and universities, formulates ten urgent demands for a social and ecological construction transition. Germany has committed to becoming climate neutral by 2045, but the building sector, which currently accounts for around 40% of greenhouse gas emissions, poses significant challenges to this target.

What is particularly alarming is that the building sector is responsible for 92% of the extraction of mineral raw materials and around 55% of the waste generated. This requires committed action and decisive political action. The open letter also criticizes the existing political delays and blockages that stand in the way of the necessary transformation. Positive examples should be highlighted from Denmark, the Netherlands and France, which show that a social-ecological construction transition is certainly possible.

Ten central demands

The demands formulated in the letter are:

• Bedarfsgerechtes und flächeneffizientes Bauen: Umbau statt Neubau.
• Abrissmoratorium: Transformation des Gebäudebestands.
• Hinterfragen von Standards: Lowtech Bauen.
• Angemessene Sanierungen im Bestand: CO2-Bilanzierung im GEG.
• Kreislaufgerechtigkeit: Regionale Bio-Bauökonomie.
• Durchmischte Quartiere: Hybrid nutzbare Gebäude.
• Klimaresilienz: Biodiversität.
• Sprunginnovationen: Reallabore und Transferforschung.
• Wertschöpfung Bauwende: Bildungsoffensive Bauschaffende.
• Forschungsförderung: Vernetzung Bauwende in den Ministerien.

The next legislative period is seen as crucial for the building sector. Scientists offer their expertise on social-ecological transformation and appeal to political decision-makers to commit to these scientific demands. The university network is also committed to integrating ecological and socially just topics into academic teaching and is supported by 65 lecturers from 32 institutions.

Sustainable building standards and criteria

In addition to the existing requirements, reference is also made to the various criteria in the context of sustainable construction that are intended to ensure sustainable development. Loud Carmen e.V. Sustainable products and services must meet economic, social and ecological criteria. The ecological criteria include the choice of raw materials, resource conservation, transport routes and emissions during use.

Furthermore, social criteria such as equality between men and women and compliance with ILO core labor standards are emphasized. The economic perspective is also considered, as the economic viability of products and their life cycle costs are crucial for the implementation of sustainable building practices.

To support the transition to sustainable construction, the federal government has launched various instruments such as the Sustainable Building Quality Seal (QNG). This was introduced in July 2021 in order to be able to certify sustainable buildings in the federal funding for efficient buildings (BEG). The QNG defines requirements in climate protection, resource conservation and health protection. In addition, that is what it says Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Construction (BMWSB) as an important player in the field of sustainable construction and continuously develops tools to improve construction methods.

In summary, it can be seen that the challenge of the social-ecological construction transition is of great importance both at the political level and in practical implementation in the construction industry. The voice of science and educational institutions will be crucial in driving forward necessary changes towards an environmentally friendly and socially just construction sector.