Sustainable Building

Clay, wood and co. – Possible applications and limits

In the course of the necessary change in the building industry, the use of earthen building materials and renewable raw materials is currently multiplying.

Advantages that have long been considered soft factors in the sustainability assessment are suddenly having a positive impact in terms of price. In many places, so-called conventional building materials can be replaced by clay, wood & co.; rather with a gain in quality than a loss of quality. The solutions for masonry or dry construction and even more so for plastering are available and regulated in terms of construction technology.

The entire process from value creation to processing and use to reuse or waste avoidance was considered. Numerous examples gave a good insight into practice and made trends in development clear.

The speaker Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christof Ziegert, ZRS Ingenieure, Berlin, is a proven expert in the field of earthen construction with many years of experience. The focus of his work is on the planning and assessment of earthen buildings in Germany and abroad. He is a publicly appointed and sworn expert for "Damage in earthen construction" of the Berlin Chamber of Industry and Commerce and an honorary professor for earthen construction at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam (FHP).

During the subsequent panel discussion, representatives from professional practice as well as students had their say. Numerous questions from the audience and chat complemented the discussion.

Presentation structure

1. Explanation of the areas of application and limitations of earthen building materials and various renewable raw materials, with a focus on earthen building materials in public and private building projects
2. Standards and regulations in earth building
3. Possibilities and limits for their use in construction
4. Specific applications (e.g. interior insulation, dry construction)
5. Practical examples
6. Outlook

The event in brief:

Title: Clay, wood and co. - application possibilities and limits
Expert speaker: Prof. Christof Ziegert (FHP)
Chair: Marita Klempnow (energy consultant / building biologist)
Guests: Fred Wanta (Continuing Education Committee of the Brandenburg chamber of architects), Christian Gäth (Bauhaus der Erde); Jakob Fock and Hannah Helene Dziobek (students of the FHP)
When: 07th of June 2023, 6.00 to 8.00 pm.

The event took place live on site as well as online via video stream.

Clay, wood and co. – Possible applications and limits

In the course of the necessary change in the building industry, the use of earthen building materials and renewable raw materials is currently multiplying.

Advantages that have long been considered soft factors in the sustainability assessment are suddenly having a positive impact in terms of price. In many places, so-called conventional building materials can be replaced by clay, wood & co.; rather with a gain in quality than a loss of quality. The solutions for masonry or dry construction and even more so for plastering are available and regulated in terms of construction technology.

The entire process from value creation to processing and use to reuse or waste avoidance was considered. Numerous examples gave a good insight into practice and made trends in development clear.

The speaker Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christof Ziegert, ZRS Ingenieure, Berlin, is a proven expert in the field of earthen construction with many years of experience. The focus of his work is on the planning and assessment of earthen buildings in Germany and abroad. He is a publicly appointed and sworn expert for "Damage in earthen construction" of the Berlin Chamber of Industry and Commerce and an honorary professor for earthen construction at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam (FHP).

During the subsequent panel discussion, representatives from professional practice as well as students had their say. Numerous questions from the audience and chat complemented the discussion.

Presentation structure

1. Explanation of the areas of application and limitations of earthen building materials and various renewable raw materials, with a focus on earthen building materials in public and private building projects
2. Standards and regulations in earth building
3. Possibilities and limits for their use in construction
4. Specific applications (e.g. interior insulation, dry construction)
5. Practical examples
6. Outlook

The event in brief:

Title: Clay, wood and co. - application possibilities and limits
Expert speaker: Prof. Christof Ziegert (FHP)
Chair: Marita Klempnow (energy consultant / building biologist)
Guests: Fred Wanta (Continuing Education Committee of the Brandenburg chamber of architects), Christian Gäth (Bauhaus der Erde); Jakob Fock and Hannah Helene Dziobek (students of the FHP)
When: 07th of June 2023, 6.00 to 8.00 pm.

The event took place live on site as well as online via video stream.

Decisive decisions in phase 0

The start of planning services in phase 1, as defined in the scale of fees for architects and engineers (HOAI), ignores important findings and decisions. Yet it is precisely in the so-called "Phase 0" that the course can be set that promotes sustainable construction and literally "pays off" in the subsequent phases.

The lecture also dealt with the specific requirements in public building construction and especially in school construction. Especially the concerns of different future users as well as the current state of pedagogical requirements can be taken into account in this first planning phase. Examples from the space concept are rooms with multiple uses for communication and creativity as well as rooms for individual uses. Particular attention was paid to the socio-cultural aspects of sustainability. In addition, the equally important ecological and economic concerns were presented.

The speaker, Dipl.-Ing. Arch. Jeannette Hanko is a proven expert as a sustainability consultant in public building construction. Representatives from research and teaching as well as students had their say in the subsequent panel discussion.

Presentation structure

1. Importance of preparatory planning considerations before the start of HOAI phase 1
2. Effects of these preparatory services on later HOAI planning phases
3. Importance for sustainable building
4. Special features of public building projects
5. Examples from school construction planning
6. Outlook on emerging trends

The event in brief:

Title: The cradle to cradle principle - the reused building materials of the future
Expert speaker: Dipl.-Ing. Arch. Jeannette Hanko (Sustainability Consulting, KIS)
Chair: Norbert John (Brandenburg chamber of architects)
Guests: Dr.-Ing. Susanne Hofmann (Die Baupiloten BDA), Marcel Adam (BA), Hannah Helene Dziobek (student at FHP)
When: 26 April 2023, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

The event took place live on site as well as online via video stream.

The cradle to cradle principle – the reused building materials of the future

The requirements for the realisation of today's building tasks have become increasingly complex in the wake of climate change. This includes, for example, not only the detailed planning but also the execution, operation and finally the demolition of buildings.

The focus of the 4th event in this series of lectures is on the reusability of building components and building materials. This is intended to focus on the entire life cycle of construction.

Who thinks about demolition or dismantling when building?
The ever more threatening flood of harmful waste that has to be disposed of, the ever more obvious shortage of resources such as steel, sand or copper for the hitherto familiar applications in the building industry, the increasing energy consumption that occurs not only in new construction but also in the demolition of existing buildings, all point to an urgent need for action.

Separating construction waste by type alone is not enough. It is a question of a paradigm shift. Instead of a linear construction process, symbolically speaking "from the cradle to the grave", the so-called "take-make-waste principle", a cycle should be possible, symbolically speaking "from the cradle to the cradle", the so-called "cradle-to-cradle principle (C2C). This also involves the cooperation of all those involved in the overall process: the building owner, the construction company, the user, and others. The paradigm shift applies to all of them in order to be able to create value cycles for a post-fossil world.

One of those who have been dedicating themselves to this task for years with good ideas and solid expertise is the expert speaker at this event, Jörg Finkbeiner (architect), the founder of the architectural office "Partner und Partner". With the help of completed as well as planned examples, he will be able to explain how much of the future still lies in the undertaking of circular building and what can already be realised today. The focus will be on the special features of deconstructable and recyclable buildings, from the determination of requirements to planning and construction supervision to the use, deconstruction and reuse phase, from the choice of materials to the world of relevant standards and ordinances and corresponding key figures in order to be able to assess the effect that has actually occurred.

In the subsequent discussion on the podium, Andreas Rieger (president of the Brandenburg chamber of architects), Dr.-Ing. Nina Pawlicki (TU Berlin), Julius Schäufele (Concular) and Sophie Littmann (FHP) met.

The event took place live on site as well as online via video stream.

The event in brief:

Title: The cradle to cradle principle – the reused building materials of the future.
Expert speaker: Jörg Finkbeiner (architect, Partner und Partner Architekten)
Chair: Andreas Rieger (President of the Brandenburg Chamber of Architects)
Guests: Dr.-Ing. Nina Pawlicki (TU Berlin), Julius Schäufele (Concular), Sophie Littmann (FHP)
When: 18th of January 2023, 6.00 to 8.00 pm

Rethinking materiality: Looking at natural resources alongside human resources.

The requirements for the realisation of today's building tasks have become increasingly complex in the wake of climate change. This begins with urban planning and, in addition to infrastructure and detailed planning, also includes the execution and operation of buildings in particular. What needs to be considered in which project phase? Which actors are necessary for this? What skills and knowledge are required for this and where can information on this be found?

The focus of the 3rd event in this lecture series is on natural resources - Looking at Natural Resources alongside Human Resources.

"Anupama Kundoo advances the idea that architectural imagination must transcend design and enter the realms of materials science and economics, where some bigger questions reside. She will discuss the thrust of her inquiries, which have been to find practical ways to fulfil the universal human aspiration for refuge, purpose, and social engagement through extensive material research and experimentation. She will discuss 'Human Time as a Resource' in the quest for new materiality and critically examine the way the time value of money has nudged us towards code-based design and the industrialized production of building components and, sometimes, even entire buildings themselves. Furthermore, she will discuss materiality and consumption of finite natural resources alongside their impact on human wellbeing and human resourcefulness."

The speaker has been a professor at the FHP for "Design Structures" in the degree programme "Architecture and Urban Design" since 2018. Until then, she had already worked, researched and taught in various cultural contexts around the world. In 2021, she was awarded the "RIBA Charles Jencks Award" by the Jencks Foundation and the "Royal Institute of British Architects" (RIBA) in recognition of significant contributions to the theory and practice of architecture. Prof. Dr. Anupama Kundoo's holistic practice, which combines theoretical investigation, materials research and sustainable building methods, was recognised. She was also awarded the "Building Sense Now Global Award" in 2021 in the course of the World Climate Conference COP26. She was thus honoured for her commitment to climate- and culture-friendly building methods.
Her technical lecture will be held in English. Afterwards, the event is to continue bilingually.

The event in brief:

Title: Rethinking Materiality: Looking at Natural Resources alongside Human Resources.
Technical speaker: Prof. Dr. Anupama Kundoo (FHP)
Moderation: Theresa Keilhacker (president of the Berlin chamber of architects)
Guests: Andreas Rieger (Brandenburg chamber of architects), Maximilian Löffler (FHP student), Hannah Helene Dziobek (FHP student), Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schwarz (University of Sustainable Development Eberswalde)
When: 12 October 2022, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The event took place on site and was streamed.

Building in existing structures with ambitious climate protection goals

The requirements for the realisation of today's building tasks have become increasingly complex in the wake of climate change. This begins with urban planning and, in addition to infrastructure and detailed planning, also includes the execution and operation of buildings in particular. What needs to be considered in which project phase? Which actors are necessary for this? What skills and knowledge are required for this and where can information on this be found?

The focus of the second event in this series of lectures is on existing buildings and will explore further questions such as:

• How can a loss of "grey energy", which takes place with every demolition, be counteracted?
• What possibilities are there for conversion, refurbishment, reconstruction, extension?
• Do monument protection and climate protection contradict each other?
• Which energy standard is achievable for which existing buildings?
• What knowledge is required for this?

Answers to such questions are to be found on the basis of examples.

The speaker on this practical topic, Mr. Ole Busch, works as a project architect in the ZRS office, which has been committed to sustainability in all its projects for many years. From the wealth of projects realised in this office, the following will be presented in particular:

• a former barn in the state of Brandenburg that has been renovated in terms of energy efficiency and which, together with a supplementary building, received the Brandenburg architecture prize 2007 (Haus Ihlow),
• the deconstruction, upgrading and conversion of a peat barn threatened with demolition and disposal,
• the energetic refurbishment of a listed half-timbered building from the 18th century in the village surroundings of Kassel, as well as
• the preservation and refurbishment of the administration building in the Berlin-Friedrichsfelde Zoo, a GDR system building from the 1960s.

Open question and answer session and panel discussion

In the subsequent discussion, both the teaching and research perspective and the student perspective are also represented on the panel.

Participants:
Teaching/research: Prof. Silke Straub-Beutin
Practice: M. A. (Arch.) Ole Busch, ZRS Architekten Ingenieure, Berlin
Studies: Maximilian Löffler, Hannah Helene Dziobek (FHP)
Client representative: Ulf Heitmann, board of directors of the "Bremer Höhe" building cooperative

The event in brief:

Title: Building in Existing Contexts with Ambitious Climate Protection Targets
Technical speaker: M. Arch. Ole Busch (ZRS Architekten Ingenieure, Berlin)
Moderation: Dipl.-Ing. Monika Remann, architect (WG sustainabilty of the Brandenburg chamber of architects)
Guests: Prof. Silke Straub-Beutin (FHP), Maximilian Löffler (FHP student), Hannah Helene Dziobek (FHP student), Ulf Heitmann (Board of Directors of the "Bremer Höhe" building cooperative))
When: 29th of June 2022, 5.00 to 7.00 pm

The event took place on site.

Basic principles of climate-neutral building – kick-off event

The requirements for the realisation of today's building tasks have become increasingly complex in the wake of climate change. This begins with urban planning and, in addition to infrastructure and detailed planning, also includes the execution and operation of buildings in particular. What needs to be considered in which project phase? Which actors are necessary for this? What skills and knowledge are required for this and where can information on this be found?

The focus of the opening event of the new lecture series by the Brandenburg chamber of architects and FHP will be an overview of strategies and measures for sustainable use of the natural resources required in building, such as land use, raw material and energy consumption.

The speaker on this fundamental topic, Prof. Dr Michael Prytula, is an architect and has been a research professor at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam for "resource-optimised and climate-adapted building" since 2014. He is the spokesperson for the Institute for Applied Research Urban Futures, head of the Master's degree programme of the same name and, since 2021, a member of the climate council of the state capital Potsdam. In addition to research projects on sustainable building and new forms of housing, he is also well acquainted with the practical planning requirements and the resulting conflicts of objectives.

The event in brief:

Title: Basic principles of climate-neutral building
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Michael Prytula (FHP)
Chair: Dipl.-Ing. Arch. Jeannette Hanko (sustainability advisor to the municipal real estate service of the state capital Potsdam)
Guests: Dipl.-Ing. Katja Melan (Architect BDA Potsdam), Maximilian Löffler (FHP student), Hannah Helene Dziobek (FHP student), Dipl.-Ing. Ekkehard Buß (City Planning Office Luckenwalde)
When: 06th of April 2022, 5.00 to 7.00 pm