German buildings minister bets on serial construction to cut costs, sticks to heating law targets

Assembling building parts in factories, also known as serial construction, could greatly reduce building costs in Germany, construction minister Verena Hubertz told tabloid Bild. "We can make significant cost savings this way," the Social Democrat said. "It's easy to achieve reductions of 30 to 40 percent."

If looking at a building's entire lifecycle and its cost drivers, expenses could come down even further, the minister said. "We are then looking at a 50-odd percent reduction in construction costs," Hubertz told Bild. Germany is struggling with a housing shortage, with the previous government's promise to build 400,000 new homes per year remaining unfulfilled. Hubertz's ministry aimed to ramp up construction again, yet would not set an absolute figure, she said.

In relation to the new coalition government's aim to "abolish" Germany's law to gradually phase out oil and gas boilers, Hubertz said this would happen, but that she would "assume that we're not going to throw all our goals out the window. […] We cannot put everything on hold now. That would be like taking ten steps backwards. We have to help people and enable them to avoid being left behind."

Advising households, Hubertz said that "under no circumstances" should people install another gas heating system if looking to replace their boiler. "It will be so expensive once the CO2 price rises further." Instead, households should inform themselves on municipal heating plans (detailing whether district heating will be available on their street), borrow or rent a temporary heating system, or invest in a climate-friendly alternative like a heat pump.

Germany's buildings sector has repeatedly missed its emission reduction targets in recent years. Emissions from heating buildings are responsible for the most part of this, yet as homes become more energy efficient, addressing the climate impact of construction becomes just as relevant. Serial construction could save building costs and reduce construction times, as well as cut construction waste, slash associated emissions and reduce the need for materials as well as on-site construction time.