Supporting sufficiency approaches in the building sector

Authors: Patrick Zimmermann

In order to comply with the ecological limits, Germany has set itself various targets relevant to the building sector. First and foremost, Germany is committed for greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045 as a contribution to meeting the 1.5 degree target. The building sector is highly relevant in this regard, as the production, construction, moderniza-tion, use and operation of residential and non-residential buildings account for around 40 % of Germany's GHG emissions. At the same time, overall raw material productivity is to be increased in line with the sustainability strategy. In this context, the building sector is responsible for 90 % of domestic mineral raw material extraction. Ultimately, land use is to be reduced to net zero by 2050; today, 32 hectares are still sealed every day by settlement areas alone.