Hardly anyone still doubts the negative impact of air travel and coal-fired power plants on the climate, not to mention our shopping habits and consumer behavior. Yet few consider the real estate and construction sector as a ‘climate killer’, even though it accounts for around 40 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, half of the global waste that is produced comes from the construction or deconstruction of buildings. “Energy-efficient renovation and circular construction methods are key topics. This involves protecting the climate more, using less energy and smart recycling of raw materials,” says Thekla Walker, Minister of the Environment, Climate Protection and Energy Sector of the German federal state of Baden Württemberg. With coordination by her Ministry, the state government developed a comprehensive package of measures for climate change adaptation, which was adopted at the end of July. An important part of this is urban and regional planning. Steffen Szeidl, Member of Drees & Sommer’s Executive Board, and Professor Dr. Michael Bauer, Partner at Drees & Sommer SE, spoke with the Minister about the relevance of the buildings sector in this connection, taking the company’s new headquarters in Stuttgart’s Vaihingen district, the OWP12 building, as an example.
More information in our press release.