Press

What does it look like, the building of tomorrow? How can the challenges associated with climate neutrality, resource availability, and affordability be overcome? At the BAU 2023 trade fair in Munich from April 17 to 22, the Fraunhofer Building Innovation Alliance (Hall C2, Booth 528) will be displaying promising concepts and innovative solutions from its various member institutes.

Digitization, climate change, scarcity of resources and housing shortages - these trends call for society, business and research alike to change their ways. The construction industry also has to develop innovative and sustainable solutions to meet the constantly growing demands placed on buildings. It is becoming increasingly important to think in cross-industry terms and act via networks. The member institutes of the Fraunhofer Building Innovation Alliance are working continuously on interdisciplinary solutions and systems to actively shape the "living spaces of the future". With its special show at BAU 2019, Hall C2, Booth 528, the Fraunhofer alliance will be presenting innovative products and system solutions from its construction research.

From November 7-10, 2017 the Fraunhofer Building Innovation Alliance and the German Sustainable Building Council DGNB e.V. will be presenting a joint forum in keeping with the motto »Better Building – Better Life« on the occasion of the FENESTRATION BAU China trade fair at Shanghai. The forum will last for several days and include a lecture program and a special show presenting selected exhibits. Further well-committed partners are the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (The German Society for International Cooperation - GIZ), SBA Architects and the RBI Software AG.

Recent years have seen a striking rise in the challenges faced by the building sector: Residential space shortages, increasing digitalization and the need for energy efficiency – all call for interdisciplinary and creative solutions from industry, politics and science. Based on current building trends, the 14 member institutes of the Fraunhofer Building Innovation Alliance develop application oriented system solutions and innovations. Their activities focus on the human element and the need for comfortable, healthy and safe living space. From January 16 to 21, 2017, the Fraunhofer Building Innovation Alliance will present sustainable product and system solutions for the focus areas ”Resource Efficiency and Energy Management”, ”Intelligent Facades”, ”Safety and Comfort” and ”Digital Planning, Building and Operating” in the 245 square meter special show ”Fraunhofer CityLaboratory – Creating living spaces for people” at the BAU 2017 trade fair (Hall C2, stand 538).

Digitization and urbanization, resource and energy efficiency, demographic change and climate change are long-term megatrends that require intensive examination by society, economy and research. The building industry, too, is requested to provide innovative and sustainable solutions in order to meet the constantly growing requirements on buildings. In this context, thinking across all industries and sectors as well as taking interdisciplinary action continues to gain importance. The Fraunhofer Building Innovation Alliance combines the professional competence of 14 Fraunhofer institutes to provide interdisciplinary solutions for the building industry. In the scope of its special show »Fraunhofer CityLaboratory – Creating living spaces for people« introduced at the BAU 2017 trade fair, the Fraunhofer Building Innovation Alliance presents innovative products and solutions from building research in Hall C2, Booth 538.

It is calculated that Earth will be home to an additional three billion people by 2050. Current developments and forecasts indicate that most of them will be living and working in urban environments. According to estimates, this will be accompanied by a massive rise in demand for primary energy and a corresponding increase in CO2 emissions. This is why governments worldwide are already making efforts today – partly through ambitious climate protection policies – to ensure that current and future generations have a sustainable future. Many of the key levers for achieving this are located in cities themselves and will be based around things like energy-efficient industries, carbon-neutral traffic flows, and climate-friendly residential and commercial buildings. At its special “Research City Workshop” show at BAU 2015 (Hall C2, Booth 118/119), the Fraunhofer Building Innovation Alliance will be showcasing technological solutions and answers to the global megatrends.

Great challenges lie in store for society and industry over the coming years: demographic change, scarcity of resources, the transition to a new energy economy and globalization. What we need are innovative solutions for using resources and energy – both for private households and for companies. In the light of the rising cost of raw materials and energy, as well as mounting international competition and low growth potential, the German construction sector finds itself under enormous pressure. According to an actual Roland Berger study, the sector’s market volume of some 260 billion euros in 2010 made it the largest in Europe, and its more than 700,000 employees make it a pillar of the German economy. However, it is the sector’s capacity to innovate that will prove crucial. This will decide whether further improving energy efficiency and sustainability will be enough to meet the German government’s goals for conserving energy and reducing CO2 emissions. The Fraunhofer Building Innovation Alliance will be presenting market-ready developments and sustainable innovations for the construction sector in its special show entitled “Research City Workshop” (ForschungsWerkStadt) at BAU 2015 (Hall C2, Booth 118/119) from January 19 to 24.

To guarantee that life in the future is not just different but also better, municipalities, cities and regions must take timely measures to ensure they are properly equipped to face future global challenges that are already evident today. Increasing urbanization, growing climate variability, the transition toward a new energy economy, the ever-increasing consumption of resources, and demographic change will all play a role in defining the development of residential structures. Bringing about the future vision of “CO2-neutral, energy-efficient and climate-adapted cities” is the aim of the German government’s High-Tech Strategy 2020 action plan, recently approved by the federal cabinet. The Fraunhofer Building Innovation Alliance is already poised to present the first product and system solutions for livable, sustainable and viable cities of the future in a special show in Hall C2, Booth 131/135 at the BAU 2013 construction trade fair.

European legislation is betting on energy-efficient building. For example, all new buildings are to generate the energy they need on-site starting from 2019. However, energy efficiency is only one aspect of the future challenges in building. The megatrends of demographic change, climate change, urbanization and globalization will determine the future. The challenge in the building industry is to harmonize sustainable building, comprehensive economic factors and social responsibility. With the special exhibition "Intelligent Building", the Fraunhofer Building Innovation Alliance is presenting innovative solutions for material suppliers, planners, architects and investors under the motto "Intelligent Planning, Constructing and Using" at "BAU 2011" in Hall C2, Stand 131/135 (17 to 22 January 2011, New Munich Trade Fair).

Building industry is facing new challenges due to the present energy and financial crisis.