In collaboration with TU Berlin – Institute for Architecture / Natural Building Lab, Climate Change Center Berlin-Brandenburg, “Initiative Klimaneutrales Bauen” from Dießen am Ammersee, Naturbauschule Berlin and many more, the Linnaeus Competence Centre Hemp is launching an initiative for climate-neutral renovation and construction, which is aimed in particular at the key players tenderers, planners, contractors and building materials. An online platform and physical model locations are planned.
- The aim is to almost completely decarbonise the building sector by 2050.
- Climate-neutral, circular construction has a significant impact on the creation of climate jobs. There is a recognisable, climate-relevant connection between the construction of buildings and energy consumption.
- Wherever people spend time – in homes, offices, production facilities, etc. – According to the UBA, around ⅓ of total final energy consumption in Germany were generated in 2021.
- The refurbishment of existing buildings leads to a reduction in primary energy consumption of around 80% – an enormous leverage effect that relieves the burden on grids and energy generation.
- The key to achieving the target is not only the extensive avoidance of new construction, but also the choice of raw materials that are at least CO2-neutral or ideally CO2-negative. According to current knowledge, only natural building materials or renewable raw materials can achieve this.
- Just as important for achieving the target is the provision of “future-proof jobs” associated with the Green Deal and the associated training and further education.
Many professions in the construction industry have potential as “climate jobs” and are currently being modernised for the first time since 1999. In 2022, around 2.6 million workers were employed in the construction industry. Some of the construction professions belong to the so-called “bottleneck professions”, i.e. skilled workers are in short supply and jobs cannot be filled. Overall, there is an enormous need for further vocational training in terms of adapting existing skills for climate neutrality.