Building the Beyond – A look back at EXPO REAL 2026

Different markets, shared solutions: Bringing Real Estate, Infrastructure, and Industry together helps create projects built for the future. How to put this into practice was the focus of our discussions at EXPO REAL in Munich from October 5–7. As a “trade fair for real estate, investment, and infrastructure,” EXPO REAL also expanded its scope this year.

“Everyone was talking about infrastructure, which took center stage just as Security and Defense did last year,” noted Steffen Szeidl, CEO of Drees & Sommer. His key takeaway: “Everything is connected. It’s about seeing the big picture and, above all, thinking beyond it.”

Future-ready solutions emerge where markets meet

The importance of looking beyond individual fields was reflected in Drees & Sommer’s theme for this year’s event: “Building the Beyond – Performance for Real Estate, Industry and Infrastructure.” It encouraged participants to work together to address the questions facing the industry today, whether transforming existing properties and industrial sites, developing new building and district concepts, advancing urban development, or expanding technical, digital and social infrastructure.

The booth itself also reflected one aspect of “Building the Beyond.” Inspired by Cradle to Cradle, it has been reused since 2019.

Spin and win: a playful way to boost performance

A slot machine created for the event invited visitors to bring the Real Estate, Infrastructure, and Industry markets together at the push of a button. The winning combination featured all three. Simon Dietzfelbinger, Partner at Drees & Sommer, explained the connection to real-world projects: “By bringing together our experience in Real Estate, Infrastructure, and Industry, we respond to changing market demands and develop solutions for the challenges of tomorrow.”  

Expert voices on the panels

Beyond the booth, Drees & Sommer also contributed to several sessions in the EXPO REAL conference program. Panel topics included global market trends, renewable energy and urban districts, Building Type E, the future of educational facilities, and new concepts for property use.

Takeaways and outlook

Although market mood remained subdued, many conversations were already focused on new opportunities and business models. While some market participants are still dealing with the impact of rising interest rates, others are taking advantage of current market conditions to launch new projects. Growing interest in the German market from international investors also added positive momentum.  

We are taking these insights straight into our projects and working with our clients to turn them into practical solutions.