Architects and developers in Germany must comply with over 3,000 DIN standards when constructing buildings, resulting in expensive standardized houses that stifle innovation. Now, an alliance of property owners, politicians, and construction industry professionals is working to change this system through a new "Building Type-E" initiative that aims to make construction simpler, faster, and more cost-effective.
On the outskirts of a new residential development near Ingolstadt, surrounded by conventional buildings typical of modern Bavarian construction, one structure stands out dramatically. With its distinctive wood facade and numerous solar panels, this building differs not only in appearance from its neighbors but also lacks a traditional heating system. This revolutionary "house without heating" challenges conventional construction norms in unprecedented ways.
According to architect Chris Neuburger, the building's innovative design relies on waste heat from electrical appliances and solar energy for warmth. "We have titled this 15-unit house as a house without heating, because the underlying concept is to generate heat differently," Neuburger explained. The well-insulated structure includes emergency electric floor heating only for extremely prolonged cold weather periods. Hot water for showers is provided by instant water heaters powered by electricity from rooftop solar panels.
This Ingolstadt house represents one of 19 pilot projects across Bavaria where building standards have been temporarily suspended. Under normal circumstances, residents could file lawsuits for construction defects even if they experience no discomfort. Professor Elisabeth Endres from TU Braunschweig's Building Technology department explains that while "most standards actually only have a recommendatory character," they become binding when court disputes arise. "If there's a legal confrontation, judges often use these standards as binding benchmarks. If a planner hasn't built according to them, they would lose the case," she noted.
Bavarian Construction Minister Christian Bernreiter attributes the proliferation of building standards to industry influence rather than government regulation. "The state itself has only introduced 10 percent of the DIN standards, and those are written into laws. Everything else comes from the industry itself, together with the Institute for Standardization," Bernreiter stated. However, the German Institute for Standardization (DIN) disputes this characterization, maintaining they work with all stakeholders in consensus and incorporate experiences from projects like Building Type-E into their standardization process.
DIN board member Daniel Schmidt argues that their goal isn't fewer rules but "better, clearer, and more easily applicable standards." He contends that "standardization is not a brake but an accelerator for good construction." This fundamental disagreement highlights the ongoing tension between innovation advocates and standardization proponents in the construction industry.
The Building Type-E pilot project initiators aim to research and demonstrate what innovations become possible when building standards are suspended. Initial estimates suggest potential cost savings of 25 percent without compromising comfort or quality. Andrea Bitter from "Architects for Future," an organization promoting sustainable transformation in the construction industry, views the pilot project as a crucial step toward better building practices. "Through Building Type-E, we can explore what we really need, what makes sense, and what we can eliminate. The goal is better houses," she emphasized.
To implement Building Type-E insights in everyday construction, architects and planners require legal security, according to Lydia Haack, president of the Bavarian Chamber of Architects. State politics and industry representatives demand that future legislation should orient itself toward the freedoms that property owners and planners enjoy in the 19 Building Type-E pilot projects. This could potentially be achieved through federal legislation that limits the power of industry standards in court proceedings.
The initiative represents a significant challenge to Germany's construction establishment, with supporters arguing that excessive standardization has created a crisis of innovation and affordability in housing development. As these pilot projects continue to generate data and demonstrate alternative approaches, they may ultimately reshape how buildings are designed and constructed throughout Germany and potentially influence construction practices across Europe.
