The construction industry has voiced strong reservations concerning the draft legislation regarding Building Type E. Tim-Oliver Müller, CEO of the Main Association of the German Construction Industry, told the “Rheinische Post” that while the proposal sounds promising at first glance, it introduces various questions.
Müller expressed doubt about the concept of introducing an entirely “new contract world” instead of reforming existing construction agreements fundamentally. He stated that this approach does not align with what the entire industry has demanded.
Furthermore, Müller criticized the draft for explicitly stating that departures from usual quality standards are possible within this new contractual environment. He argued that such provisions could mislead consumers into believing they must distinguish between high-quality and low-quality buildings. According to Müller, initiating this quality debate is “fatal and inappropriate.” To prevent this, he insisted that the Federal Government should have paid closer attention to the actual legal assessment of standard building characteristics. He concluded by adding that the industry hopes significant corrections will be made during the parliamentary process.
Despite these concerns, Müller praised the core principle of the legislation, noting that it is a positive step that the Federal Government acknowledges that having too many requirements for buildings drives up construction costs.
