Germany considers 'Type E buildings' to cut housing costs

Germany is exploring a new approach to construction with the concept of "Type E buildings," aiming to significantly lower housing costs by simplifying building standards. Ministers Verena Hubertz and Stefanie Hubig recently visited a model apartment in Berlin's Neukölln district showcasing this concept. The apartment featured walls left as bare concrete and exposed cable conduits, intentionally deviating from typical finishes to reduce costs.

“

Our legal proposal will enable contracting parties – the investor on one side and the architect and construction company on the other – to clearly regulate legal relationships so they know what the contractual obligation is, what standard they want, and what standard they are consciously waiving.

The core idea behind "Type E buildings", where 'E' stands for 'experiment' and 'einfach' (simple), is to move away from standards not critical for safety. This includes questioning "usual professional rules" that, while common in German industrial standards (DIN), are not strictly necessary. For instance, interior plastering or a specific number of electrical outlets in living rooms are not always essential for a functional home.

Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig explained that a proposed legal framework will clarify contractual relationships between investors, architects, and construction companies. This clarity aims to reduce fears of legal liability for builders who consciously forgo certain "usual professional rules." The goal is to establish a clear legal basis, allowing construction companies and architects to proceed without the constant threat of lawsuits for not adhering to every conventional standard.

“

If we were to define once and for all what a 'Type E building' looks like, we would ignore the fact that many things change very quickly. We also have to consider that every building is different – building with wood, concrete, or hybrid constructions of wood and other materials is not the same.

Construction Minister Verena Hubertz emphasized that the new law will not be a prescriptive list of requirements. Instead, it focuses on a flexible concept that can adapt to different building materials like wood, concrete, or hybrid structures. The primary objective is to make housing construction faster and more affordable. Construction expert Dietmar Walberg supports the "Type E building" concept but suggests defining a clear "basic standard" for these homes to manage expectations.

“

This is a model example of a 'Type E building' – where E stands for both 'experiment' and 'einfach' – simple.