Formidable competition for good ideas: over 100 companies from the DACH region entered the first Construction Contest. The winners have now been announced.
The Construction Contest called for the best solutions for sustainable and affordable planning, construction and living. Starting in May 2024, both start-ups and corporates could submit their innovations and products in the categories of “Building Materials”, “Construction” and “Production Techniques”, e.g. techniques for the factory prefabrication of complex components that can be used as finished elements or building systems for assembly on a construction site. In the final pitch event, an 11-member jury of experts from the real estate industry and research decided on the winners of the Construction Contest.
Kimm building materials (only in German), represented by Susanne Fröhlich and Stefan Schmatz, won in the “Building Materials” segment. The company specialises in sustainable building materials in line with defined environmental protection targets. Conclay, the clay block from KIMM, is a moulded clay block that is suitable for load-bearing clay block masonry in accordance with DIN 18940 – a sustainable alternative in solid construction. The clay blocks are produced in a block factory using a large hydraulic press. The process allows bricks to be produced in large quantities and with a consistent quality.
The company STRAMEN.TEC (only in German), represented by Eckhardt Dauck and Claus Fischer, won in the competition category “Construction”: the innovative dry construction systems from STRAMEN.TEC are designed for the rapid construction of interior walls, roof extensions and ceiling panelling. A stud frame is no longer required and there are no cavities. The STRAMEN.TEC wall is solid, making it ten times more impact-resistant than the German standard for conventional drywalls requires. And: STRAMEN.TEC walls have no CO2 emissions because straw is a rapidly renewable raw material that is available in large quantities and stores CO2.
In addition to the two awards, there were two special mentions for the area of “Innovation”. The company aerogel-it, represented by Dr. Marc Fricke, was awarded a special mention for innovation. Aerogels were originally developed for space travel and are now recognised materials for the super-thermal insulation of industrial plants and building shells as well as in clothing and electronic products but are also used as components in electric car batteries. Another special mention went to the company Bton, represented by Thomas Demmel and Henry Werkmeister. With the climate-positive concrete it has developed, Bton is helping decarbonise the construction industry.
Daniel Riedl, Chief Development Officer and member of the Management Board of Vonovia: “The innovations in the Construction Contest were also compelling because the solutions are market-ready or will be soon. The collaboration is now being advanced at working level and we want to see how the innovations can be availed at BUWOG in order to be part of the solution: for a reduction in the use of resources, for lower CO2 emissions in planning and construction and, indirectly, for affordable housing.”
BUWOG has around 55,000 apartments under construction and in planning throughout Germany and will build at least 20% using timber.
About BUWOG
BUWOG looks back on over 70 years of experience in the residential property business and currently has a development pipeline in Germany of approximately 55,000 residential units under construction and in planning. With its new construction projects and neighbourhood developments, BUWOG is creating new residential space throughout Germany and pursuing a committed sustainability agenda. BUWOG is a subsidiary of Vonovia SE, Europe’s leading residential company, which is located in Bochum (Germany).
