Construction - Housing construction: Minister speaks out in favor of new standard
Schleswig-Holstein's Interior Minister Sabine Sütterlin-Waack (CDU) has advocated for a new standard in housing construction. "The established standard has become increasingly elaborate, expensive, and, not least due to high resource consumption, also more harmful to the climate over the years," said the CDU politician at a presentation of the results of a study on the so-called Regelstandard simplified construction in the Kiel Interior Ministry on Friday. "Therefore, it's time for a new standard."
The study by the Working Group for Contemporary Building shows that cost-effective and intelligent planning, which focuses on demand, is a fundamental prerequisite for affordable and livable projects. In addition, up to 25 percent of construction costs could be saved, according to Sütterlin-Waack.
From September 2023, the new standard will be applied and will show that significant savings can be made, especially in building construction and technical equipment. Fewer resources will be consumed, and greenhouse gases will be emitted. The reduction in ceiling and wall thicknesses alone, according to the Interior Ministry, can reduce construction costs and create more living space.
Moreover, concrete measures will already be presented in the Regelstandard: For example, basements could be dispensed with, as they are usually one of the most expensive positions, even under favorable framework conditions. Similarly, elevators in acquisition and operation are very cost-intensive, according to the Ministry. Only the preparation of elevator installations will be recognized up to the fourth landing in the new standard - exceptions will only apply in cases of increased requirements for barrier-free design.
The study by the Working Group for Contemporary Building will be available on its website in July 2024 for all to see.
- Sabine Sütterlin-Waack, the Interior Minister of Schleswig-Holstein and a CDU politician, believes that the current standard in residential construction has become expensive, elaborate, and harmful to the climate.
- Sütterlin-Waack mentioned during a presentation that intelligent planning focusing on demand could save up to 25% of construction costs in residential construction.
- The new standard, which will be applied from September 2023, is expected to result in significant savings in construction and technical equipment, reducing resource consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
- According to the Ministry of the Interior, measures like dispensing with basements and recognizing only the preparation of elevator installations up to the fourth landing in the new standard could lead to reduced construction costs and more living space, as well as cost savings in the acquisition and operation of elevators.
