Leipzig Charter 2.0

Published 27 September 2019

Anne Katrin Bohle has been State Secretary for Construction at the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Housing since March 2019.

Until the German EU-The "Leipzig Charter" is to be further developed into the "Leipzig Charter 2.0" for the EU Council Presidency in 2020. The "Leipzig Charter", which is little known even among experts, invokes the values of "citizens' co-determination and self-determination, calls for social integration, the creation and use of public space, a strengthening of city centres and a mix of uses". And the "idea of the "European City" explicitly opposes one-sided and monotonous urban development. Against exclusion and isolation of individual city districts, against the ruthless enforcement of individual interests."

In an interview with Bauwelt, the Secretary of State for Construction explains the goals and approach:
www.bauwelt.de/rubriken/interview/Die-Charta-muss-mehr-als-nur-aktualisiert-werden-3430440.html

The German Chamber of Architects also reported:
www.dabonline.de/...leipzig-charta-kommentar-stadtentwicklung/

On 5 and 6 December 2019, the Bauwelt Congress will be held for this purpose:
https://siedlungen.eu/…bauwelt-kongress-2019-die-ganze-stadt

Keywords: DE-News, News Blog Europe (without DE), Mix of uses, Quarters, SDG 2030, City, Environmental policy, Urban production, Housing policy

Published 20 May 2021

Fraunhofer ISE short study: Increased construction of large rooftop PV systems with small tilt angles

In a recently written short study, scientists from the Department of Energy System Analysis at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE prepared an evaluation of the Market Master Data Register (MaStR) and the EEG system master data for photovoltaics (PV). Important findings of the analyses were that with 38 percent of the newly installed capacity, the increase in capacity in Germany is increasingly taking place in the segment of rooftop systems larger than 100 kW, 22 percent of the newly built PV systems are erected in a west, east or east-west direction and 19 percent of these systems have tilt angles smaller than 20 degrees.

Relative shares of the different orientations in the construction of new plants. Source: Own calculation based on MaStR data registered as of 31.01.2019 (as of 03.03.2020).

The Market Master Data Register (MaStR) is the register for the German electricity and gas market. Since January 2021, all electricity generation units connected to the general supply grid must be entered in it. This also applies to the steadily growing number of photovoltaic systems in Germany. In addition to the master data on output and location of a PV system, which has already been recorded in the Renewable Energy Sources Act register (EEG system master data), the market master data register records further information such as orientation, inclination and output limitation.
These parameters have now been analyzed by scientists at Fraunhofer ISE. The evaluation covers the period from 2000 to the present day and shows the development over time in terms of number, power, location by federal state, orientation, inclination and power limitation. Different evaluation criteria were taken into consideration, which allow statements to be made on the following aspects: Plant addition, power addition by plant class, plant addition by federal state, plant orientation and inclination angle.
Fraunhofer ISE evaluates these central parameters at regular intervals and makes the results publicly available. In addition, the Institute offers further evaluations of this database on request.

82 percent of the added systems are smaller than 10 kW

The evaluation of the installation of new systems by system class essentially shows that the <10 kW size range has remained constant since 2014 with an average share of 82 percent. Rooftop systems over 10 and up to 100 kW had a heyday between 2004 and 2011, when their share of new installations - in relation to the number of systems - averaged 43 percent.

Growing part of the added capacity is due to large rooftop systems

When examining the increase in capacity by plant class, it becomes clear that the high share of the <10 kW plant class in terms of the number of plants is only reflected in a high increase in capacity to a limited extent. The share of the plant class has remained fairly constant at an average of 19 percent since 2014. One system segment whose relative share of capacity growth has increased sharply is the system class of rooftop systems from 100 to 750 kW. From 17 percent in 2012, their share has more than doubled to 38 percent in 2019. In contrast, the importance of ground-mounted systems has declined from 45 percent in 2012 to 20 percent in 2019.

More than half of the PV systems will no longer be built in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg

The two states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg accounted for an average of 59.6 percent of new installations in Germany between 2000 and 2009, and this share declined to an average of 44.5 percent between 2010 and 2019. Over the same periods, North Rhine-Westphalia increased its average contribution from 14.1 to 18.3 percent, Lower Saxony's share rose from 6.5 to 9.2 percent, and Brandenburg's share increased from 0.7 to 2.2 percent. All the remaining federal states also recorded increases, albeit to a lesser extent. Despite the decline in their share, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg remain in first and second place in terms of new installations in 2019, with 24.4 percent and 18.6 percent respectively. This is followed by North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony and Hesse with 17.9 percent, 9.2 percent and 6.1 percent respectively.

73 percent of newly installed PV systems are limited in their capacity

Only around a quarter of the newly installed plants in 2019 do not have any output limitation. According to the EEG, 66 percent of newly installed plants may only feed a maximum of 70 percent of their output into the grid because they do not have remotely controllable feed-in management. This proportion has grown by an average of 4 percentage points per year since 2014. The remaining output-limited plants have even higher limitations of 60 to 50 percent as a result of the combination with a battery storage system.

Increasing proportion of PV systems facing east and west

While the share of PV systems with southern orientation decreased from 61 percent in 2000 to 42 percent in 2019, the share of systems with eastern and western orientation increased at almost the same rate: east from 1 percent in 2000 to 7 percent in 2019, west from 3 percent in 2000 to 9 percent in 2019, east-west from 1 percent in 2000 to 6 percent in 2019.

Plants are increasingly being built with a lower angle of inclination.
The share of added PV systems (rooftop and ground-mounted) with a tilt angle of less than 20 degrees averaged 10 percent between the years 2000 and 2009. Subsequently, between 2010 and 2019, the share increased to an average of 19 percent. Systems with 20 to 40 degrees of tilt accounted for an average of 63 percent between 2000 and 2009, falling to 54 percent between 2010 and 2019.

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Source: PM Fraunhofer ISE from May 19, 2021

Keywords:
Stock, DE-News, Renewable, Climate protection, New books and studies, PV, PlusEnergy house/settlement, Quarters, Settlements

Published 25 June 2023

Federal Minister of Building Geywitz and Federal Minister of Agriculture Özdemir present strategy for timber construction

Timber construction initiative is another step towards climate-neutral and faster construction

The Federal Cabinet today approved the draft of a timber construction initiative presented by Federal Minister of Construction Klara Geywitz and Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir. This strategy of the Federal Government is intended to strengthen the use of wood as a sustainable raw material in the construction sector and to ensure more climate protection, resource efficiency and faster construction. With eight fields of action, from the exemplary role of the federal government and the strengthening of research and innovation, to securing skilled labour and knowledge transfer, to securing the supply of raw materials, the use of wood is to be significantly improved and the timber construction quota increased by 2030.

Obstacles are removed and equal competitive opportunities for the use of a wide variety of building materials are ensured. The fields of action of the timber construction initiative describe priority topics and approaches to solutions that are implemented by the relevant federal ministries under their own responsibility and subject to the budget funds made available.

About seven per cent of the CO₂-emissions in Germany come from the construction and modernisation of buildings. Since trees in the growth phase CO₂ bind, the carbon is permanently stored with the wood used in the building. At the same time, wood is suitable for serial and modular building. With this construction method, shorter production and construction times are achieved by means of prefabrication, which means that affordable housing is created more quickly.

Klara Geywitz, Federal Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Construction: To create more affordable and good housing in which people feel comfortable, we want to improve serial and modular construction. Wood is particularly suitable here. It is light, versatile, durable and reusable. The wooden roof trusses, half-timbered constructions and wooden houses of earlier generations demonstrate this. At the same time, local wood is on our doorstep. Using this saves transport costs, increases regional added value and improves the local economic cycle.

Furthermore, wood is popular. It creates a good indoor climate, people feel comfortable in buildings made of wood. Countries like Switzerland, Austria, Sweden or Finland show how well wood can be used in modern buildings. With the timber construction initiative, we show the great diversity of this raw material and want to strengthen the sustainable use of wood in our country.

Cem Özdemir, Federal Minister of Agriculture and Food: The forest is our natural ally in the fight against the climate crisis - it extracts the climate-damaging CO₂ and binds carbon in the wood. Our goal is to use wood for as long as possible. Every new wooden building is a CO₂-In comparison to other construction methods, up to 50 percent of greenhouse gas emissions can be saved - a real win-win situation for the climate and our forest. We urgently need this, because the consequences of the climate crisis have already weakened and damaged our forest. The timber construction initiative also helps to ensure that the wood from the necessary forest conversion and from forest damage is utilised in a high-quality and sustainable manner. This helps the forest owners and the many businesses in the forestry and timber industry, especially in rural areas..

Worldwide, but also in Europe and Germany, the last few years have seen impressive buildings made of wood and in wood hybrid construction emerged. Nevertheless, the timber construction quota in Germany remains below the possible level. While a rate of 26 percent has already been achieved in single- and two-family house construction throughout Germany, it is still below five percent in multi-storey residential construction. One of the aims of the timber construction initiative is to tap this potential. At the same time, the timber construction initiative sends a strong signal for the necessary transformation and decarbonisation of the economy.

Various dialogue formats with the federal states and associations are planned to implement the timber construction initiative. An initial kick-off event will be held in Berlin on 10 October 2023 with the participation of the two Federal Ministers Klara Geywitz and Cem Özdemir.

A core element of this is the establishment of a regular "Federal Timber Construction Round Table" for the transfer of knowledge and exchange of experience with the Länder and municipal umbrella organisations.

The detailed timber construction initiative and further information can be found here:
www.bmwsb.bund.de/holzbauinitiative

Source: PM 21 June 2023

Keywords:
Procurement, CO2-neutral, DE-News, Funding, Wood construction, Climate emergency, Climate protection, NaWaRohs, Sustainable management, Affordable housing, Quarters, Settlements, Environmental policy, Housing

Published 26 April 2021

German Urban Development Award 2020 goes toBerlin

The prize is awarded every two years by the German Academy for Urban Development and Regional Planning (DASL) with significant support from the Wüstenrot Foundation. Urban Development Award in the DSP 2020 competition goes to the project Quarter at the former Blumengroßmark in Berlin. With 81 applications, a particularly large number of projects were submitted for the Urban Design Award. The spectrum was very broad: urban-structural-geographical, thematic, structural-spatial. From the new town hall in the urban planning context of a small municipality to the large conversion project of a metropolitan region, the interdisciplinary jury (urban planning, architecture, open space planning, preservation of historical monuments, economics, sociology) was faced with a very difficult decision in many cases.

"The quarter at the former flower wholesale market in Berlin Kreuzberg is exemplary for a co-creative urban redevelopment that focuses on living and working together and pursues long-term sustainable development strategies in the neighbourhood. The project sets orientation and standards for socially oriented urban development supported by diverse actors and is particularly exemplary in the sense of the German Urban Development Award. [...]" emphasizes the jury chairperson Prof. Dr. Christina Simon-Philipp, HFT Stuttgart.

The Special price on the topic "Urban development revisited: Prices - Practice - Perspectives" was given to the project Urban development area Stuttgarter Straße, French Quarter in Tübingen. The special prize, which is awarded in parallel to the urban development prize, serves to highlight particularly urgent fields of action in urban development and urban planning. It was awarded on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the German Urban Development Prize to contributions that had already been recognised with prizes and awards between 1980 and 2010. The judging of the special prize was very complex, as it had to cover a span of 30 years, i.e. a generation, of the achievements of German urban planning that were considered outstanding at the time, and, in retrospect, it had to be based on robust, objective criteria that could adequately reflect the complexity of 30 years of urban planning history and 30 years of urban planning models.

"The robust urban design concept and the qualities of the public space are the hallmarks of the quarter, which exudes great liveliness. When strolling through the district, one has the certainty that it will gain in popularity and vitality as it ages," was the jury's verdict for the project. Thirty years after the competition for the French Quarter in Tübingen [urban development prize winner from the 2001 submission], the idea of parcelling proves to be a recipe for success with a high degree of suitability for everyday use and exemplary for participatory-oriented urban development in Germany.

The German Urban Development Award, which is endowed with a total of € 25,000, aims to promote forward-looking planning and urban development culture. It is awarded by the German Academy for Urban and Regional Planning (DASL) and sponsored by the Wüstenrot Foundation.

The prize is awarded to urban development projects implemented in the Federal Republic of Germany that stand out for their sustainable and innovative contributions to urban building culture and spatial development in an urban and rural context. The projects should take outstanding account of the current demands on contemporary lifestyles as well as the challenges to the design of public space, the economical use of resources and the obligations to the preservation of the local and urban landscape.

At its meeting in February 2021, the jury chaired by Prof. Dr. Christina Simon-Philipp awarded six prizes and seven commendations in addition to the urban development prize and the special prize. The urban development prize is endowed with €15,000 and the special prize with €5,000. The awards receive € 1,000 and the fourth category is commendations.

Due to the COVID pandemic, the planned festive award ceremony could not take place in a large round. Therefore, the nominations of the 15 projects were broadcast in a live stream with around 800 viewers on 23 April 2021 from the Akademie der Künste at Pariser Platz in Berlin. The specialist symposium, which was dedicated to the award theme of the Special Prize 2020 "Urban design revisited: prices - practice - perspectives". and the award ceremony are presented with documentary films of the award-winning projects on the website www.staedtebaupreis.de.
Anne Katrin Bohle, State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of the Interior, for Building and Home Affairs, emphasized in her welcoming speech:

"For 40 years, the German Urban Development Prize has been awarded for outstanding and forward-looking urban development projects in terms of design and urban structure. They not only receive outstanding public attention nationally, but are also given special consideration internationally. The BMI supports modern and sustainable building of high design quality. In this context, it is essential for us that the "project", i.e. an individual building or an ensemble of buildings, fits into innovative and integrated urban development strategies, because the high-quality design of the built environment is a decisive building block for the quality of life in our cities and communities. Baukultur stands not only for the result, i.e. an aesthetic, good building, but encompasses the entire complex process from participation and co-determination to planning, construction, use and maintenance. In this sense, we very much welcome the fact that the German Academy for Urban Development and Regional Planning, together with the Wüstenrot Foundation, is honouring good urban development projects and, in application of the principles of the New Leipzig Charter, is advancing the transformation of European cities into sustainable living spaces oriented towards the common good."

DASL President Prof. Dr. (Univ.-Florenz) Elisabeth Merk went on to explain the function of the German Urban Development Award and thanked the Wüstenrot Foundation for its support, without which the award would not be possible:

"For more than 40 years now, the German Urban Design Award has been honouring projects that bring societal and social issues to bear with outstanding design solutions in architecture and urban development. The continuity of standing up for sustainable urban development and thus encouraging others to stand up for quality has characterised the German Urban Development Prize since its beginnings. Special thanks go first and foremost to the Wüstenrot Foundation, which makes the prize financially and conceptually possible, as well as to all the committed participants and very personally to Prof. Dr. Werner Durth, who as a source of inspiration has shaped the prize over the years with his knowledge and passion."

The Managing Director of the Wüstenrot Foundation, Prof. Philip Kurzis the reason for the foundation's commitment to the German Urban Development Prize:

"We are currently facing major challenges in shaping our cities. The pandemic and its consequences have once again highlighted how important it is that we set the right course for the future - for people's quality of life, for coexistence in our society, for economic diversity and for the quality of our built environment. The German Urban Design Award honours the design of the projects as well as their contribution to a lively, diverse future for our cities. With our support, we want to strengthen the opportunities associated with the German Urban Design Award and promote building culture - the quality of our built environment - in Germany."
The results of the competition and details of the winners, the awarded and commended projects as well as the complete jury assessments can be found at www.staedtebaupreis.de.

A documentation of the German Urban Design Award 2020 will be published in the series "STADT BAUEN" by Wasmuth Verlag, probably in late autumn 2021.

The jury for the German Urban Design Award 2020 consisted of:
- Jury Chair Prof. Dr. Christina Simon-Philipp, Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences
- Prof. Undine Giseke, Technical University Berlin
- Prof. Dr. Markus Harzenetter, State Office for Monument Preservation Hesse, Wiesbaden
- Dr. Stefan Krämer, Wüstenrot Foundation, Ludwigsburg
- Prof. Dr. (Univ. Florence) Elisabeth Merk, President DASL, Munich
- Dipl.-Ing. Jórunn Ragnarsdóttir, LRO Lederer Ragnarsdóttir Oei, Stuttgart
- Dipl.-Ing. Verena Schmidt, Teleinternetcafe Architecture and Urbanism, Berlin
- Permanent guest for the Scientific Advisory Board Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Durth, Darmstadt

The results in detail
The jury reviewed and evaluated 139 projects, 58 of which received a special prize. Particularly noteworthy in the anniversary year 2020 was the exceptionally high quality of the entries submitted. After narrowing down the "shortlist" to 35 projects, these were each visited on site by a jury member between the beginning of December 2020 and the end of January 2021. The responsible actors of the projects were interviewed by zoom or outside. Despite the difficult conditions caused by the pandemic, the jury was able to get to know the projects very well.
From the "shortlist", the jury awarded one project the urban development prize and one the special prize, six projects (including two in the special prize) received an award and eight projects were awarded a commendation.
German Urban Development Award 2020

Laureate
Berlin| Quarter at the former flower market

Award
Bremen | Waller Sand
Heilbronn | Neckarbogen urban district - First building block of a new urban landscape
Regenburg | Jewish Community Center with Synagogue
Tirschenreuth | Place of learning - revitalization of the historic Fronfeste

Special Award 2020 "Urban Design Revisited: Prizes - Practice - Perspectives"

Laureate
Tübingen, 2001| Urban development area Stuttgarter Straße, French Quarter

Award
Hochheim am Main, 1983 | Planning consultation and initiative planning for the regeneration of the old town as well as renewal measures realized so far
Cologne, 1982 | Replacement housing and block redevelopment on the site of the former Stollwerck chocolate factory in the Severinsviertel redevelopment area

Commendations
Munich, 2008 | Jewish Center
Ulm, 2006 | New Centre Ulm - Urban Redevelopment in the Citizens' Discourse

Link
https://staedtebaupreis.de/

Source: DASL-PM of 23.4.2021

Keywords:
Awards, DE-News, Movies < 4 Min, Barracks conversion, News Blog Baden-Württemberg, News Blog Berlin, Mix of uses, Quarters, Urban production

Published 28 April 2020

Transformation fund for a solidary and ecological restart of the economy

While the emergency aid for companies is getting underway, the debate about possible post-crisis economic stimulus packages is also gaining momentum. The German Green Business Association is proposing a transformation fund to combine a new start for the economy with social aspects and environmental and climate protection.

"We must also place the new start of the economy under the sign of a solidary and ecological transformation" demands UnternehmensGrün managing director Dr. Katharina Reuter. Of course, hedging risks in the economy is the order of the day, so that Germany does not see an all too violent wave of bankruptcies. "Just because some companies are not yet green enough, we cannot put hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk here," Reuter said. And further: "However, a holistic response to the Corona crisis also includes thinking further about economic policy - and here we are clearly calling for a transformation fund, an innovation and investment initiative for the social and ecological restructuring of the economy."

For the Corona crisis also shows the imbalances that have resulted from today's economic system: Austerity measures and privatisation in the health system, too few and too poorly paid skilled workers there, dependence on global supply relationships even for system-relevant products (e.g. protective clothing), environmental pollution and climate crisis with the associated risks for people, transfer of jobs to low-wage countries or the death of local traders. This is where the failures of government policy in recent years come to the fore in the most blatant form. "It annoys us to no end when Federal Minister of Economics Altmaier now suddenly pushes for local production - why didn't he use his time in office for appropriate policy instruments?", said Reuter.

"We need a rethink," Mathias Kollmann, UnternehmensGrün board member and managing director of Bohlsener Mühle, is also convinced. "We as Bohlsener Mühle will get more involved in the regional development of agriculture and supply chains after the Corona crisis. Humanity must emerge stronger from such crises and that also means learning lessons - also for our economic system!"

Carola von Peinen, UnternehmensGrün board member and founder of Talents4Good: "We need to use the shutdown to redefine our guiding principles and values as a society and challenge the maxim of economic growth at all costs."

The central question for post-crisis stimulus packages must be: How do we channel money into sustainable investment? To this end, UnternehmensGrün demands:

Establishment of a transformation fund that enables investments in climate protection and solidarity-based economic aspects. For example, impulses for energy-efficient building refurbishment in residential and commercial construction bring very timely employment in the trades and positive climate effects.
Public investment in rail and network infrastructure. Public investment attracts private investment.
Special depreciation options for climate protection, energy efficiency and digitisation measures.
Full speed ahead for the energy turnaround! Do away with the solar cap and expand onshore wind power, which will create orders for trade and industry and secure jobs.

In order for investments in climate protection to pay off in post-Corona times, CO2 pricing must not be called into question. To improve the revenue situation, UnternehmensGrün proposes:

introduction of a kerosene tax
Abolition of the diesel privilege

"Climate protection and Corona cannot be set off against each other - climate protection also makes economic sense," clarifies UnternehmensGrün board member Jan-Karsten Meier. If, for example, the fossil automotive industry now smells morning air and wants to play off Corona against climate protection (demand for relaxation of CO2 targets for cars), it not only devalues its own investments in fuel-saving drives, electric mobility and fuel cells, but also reveals an incredible degree of anti-solidarity with the younger generation, which is dependent on climate protection measures.

Source: PM of UnternehmensGrün from 1.4.2020

Keywords:
DE-News, Sustainable management, Resource efficiency, Environmental policy