Detailed Information on Quality Housing Structures Accessible Online for Easy Reference
In an effort to inspire change within the construction sector, particularly in the realm of existing buildings, a new platform called "Building & Living" has been launched. The project, led by scientific project leader Jan Wörner, aims to expand its number of projects in the coming months.
The platform, which can be accessed online, invites users to contribute to its expansion by reporting suitable living labs or successful examples. It targets a wide audience, including representatives from politics and administrations at federal, state, and municipal levels, planners, project developers, housing companies, scientists in the fields of urban development, architecture, and building technology, citizen initiatives, and representatives of urban districts.
Each listed project on the website has its own profile page, offering detailed information about the project. One such example is a sustainable garage extension in Karlsruhe, highlighted as a best practice for eco-friendly building.
The "Building and Living" project was developed by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Acatech, the second science academy at the federal level. The mapping tool provided by the platform offers an overview of ongoing and completed living labs, as well as best practice examples.
The focus of the sector is on creating sustainable, affordable, and community-oriented housing solutions across various regions. Examples of this can be seen in the United States, where projects like the Spruce Point development in Manzanita provide 60 affordable housing units with sustainable features.
In Germany, the collection of living labs and best practice examples is primarily focused on western states. Notable examples include the "Stadtquartier 2050" living labs in Stuttgart and Überlingen on Lake Constance, which are renovating residential neighbourhoods in a socially acceptable and climate-neutral way.
The projects are part of the "Building and Living" project started by a scientific association based in Munich. The portal offers a tabular overview, a full-text search, a comparison function for multiple projects, and the possibility to download profiles.
Three working groups will develop solutions in building technology, urban and district development, and implementation strategies. The German Academy of Science and Engineering (Acatech), founded in 2002, is involved in these efforts, along with the Leopoldina, another science academy under the patronage of the federal president.
Currently, only projects from six federal states have been recorded. However, as the platform grows, it is expected to provide a comprehensive resource for those interested in sustainable and affordable housing solutions.
The "Building & Living" platform, with its focus on expanding projects in the coming months, invites contributors from various sectors, including municipalities, to report on suitable living labs or successful examples in the housing-market and real-estate. As the platform's database grows, it aims to become a valuable resource for investors, planners, and policymakers looking for sustainable, affordable, and community-oriented housing solutions.
