Housing is scarce and expensive. And the standard of housing hardly meets modern requirements. At the same time, many small towns in peripheral locations are still struggling with population decline and vacancies. This urgently needs to change.
A rethink is needed - away from the focus on new construction and towards an integrated approach that focuses on the holistic revitalization of cities and regions and the activation of existing housing stock. Researchers from the Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development (IOER) summarize their research findings in a policy paper.
In the political debate, new construction dominates as a solution to the deficit in conurbations. However, new construction is associated with considerable ecological consequences. Settlement development not only consumes scarce and non-renewable resources such as land and building materials. It also means interfering with nature and has negative consequences for the climate.
In the paper "Revitalize instead of rebuild! - Think regionally and create sustainable living space", the authors encourage a rethink. "In particular, the revitalization of existing buildings, established urban districts and ultimately entire cities and regions offers starting points for meeting the current challenges (...)," emphasizes Prof. Robert Knippschild, one of the authors from the IOER. Strengthening inner development, revitalizing existing buildings, reducing new construction and using model projects are some of the aspects highlighted.
With this in mind, the Verein für Bauen im Bestand e.V. (BiB) has founded the BiB Academy to establish the culture of repair in teaching, training and further education. In future, BiB will work closely with educational institutions, universities and further education establishments in the real estate industry, architecture and construction. "To date, the real estate industry has focused on new construction, which is also reflected in the training and further education courses on offer. Only a few institutions offer courses on the subject of building in existing buildings," explains Sarah Dungs, Chairwoman of the Association for Building in Existing Contexts.
Photo: © Grabener Verlag, Kiel, 2024
