The Bauherren-Schutzbund (BSB) warns of a significant decline in interest in property modernization among private owners. A recent BSB survey shows that only a third of owners of older properties are planning energy modernization measures. Worryingly, 61 percent of those surveyed had no plans whatsoever to modernize their...
The danger of asbestos in the construction industry continues to pose a serious threat to health. This is shown by figures provided by Dipl.-Ing. Martin Kessel, an expert from the VDI Society "Construction and Building Technology". According to official figures, around 1,600 people die every year in Germany as a result of exposure to asbestos. However, the expert assumes that there are even around...
Tel Aviv has overtaken Paris as the most expensive real estate city in the Europe-Arabia-Africa economic area (EMEA region) with a price per square meter of EUR 14,740. South-eastern European countries such as Bosnia-Herzegovina, Hungary and Croatia recorded considerable price increases of over 20 percent. In contrast, the UK and Denmark experienced significant price declines of 17.9 and 9.6 percent respectively. The...
The number of dormitory places for students and trainees planned under the social housing promotion scheme has more than doubled this year thanks to the "Young Housing" funding program. This is according to a press release from the Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Building. While around 2,700 new places in halls of residence were planned for 2022, the number will rise to...
According to the Association of Private Building Owners (VPB), private building owners should engage their own independent experts on the construction site. For turnkey projects, construction companies often present architects as "your architect". However, the word "your" can be misleading. The planner or architect presented by the construction company is primarily responsible for the obligations towards...
Landlords must provide their tenants with clear rent increase declarations. They must also provide information on the use of third-party funds. This is the result of a ruling by the Federal Court of Justice (AZ: VIII ZR 416/21). In the case in question, a landlord had sent a tenant a declaration of rent increase, but did not refer to the use of third-party funds in this...
The conversion of basement rooms for residential purposes may require planning permission. This is emphasized by the Association of Private Builders (VPB). This is because it is a so-called change of use if homeowners want to turn their basement storage room into a separate apartment. In most cases, this change requires official approval. The respective state building regulations...
As part of the "DGNB Sustainability Challenge 2023", the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) has recognized outstanding players in sustainable construction. Smarter Habitat impressed with "ecoHab", a building panel made from popcorn. The company STRAMEN.TEC scored with a dry construction system made from straw. The Technical University of Berlin impressed with a sustainable rental apartment building made of wood, brick...
The Association of Private Building Owners (VPB) warns of the financial consequences of a planned reform of the Hazardous Substances Ordinance. If the reform is implemented as planned, private building owners, especially those without expertise, could have to pay for costly pollutant testing and remediation in older buildings on their own. Corinna Merzyn, Managing Director of VPB, emphasizes: "Not...
Scientists from the universities of Freiburg and Stuttgart presented a pavilion that was constructed using new, computer-aided methods and robotic manufacturing processes. According to the researchers, the construction of the "livMatS Biomimetic Shell @ FIT" pavilion in lightweight timber construction resulted in considerable resource savings compared to traditional timber construction. The...
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