A positive intermediate assessment has been drawn by Federal Minister of Building, Verena Hubertz (SPD), one year after the introduction of the so-called “Building Turbo” (Bau-Turbo). According to a data monitoring report presented on Tuesday, local municipalities are actively utilizing the new latitude provided by this instrument.
The monitoring data revealed that 72% of the approximately 400 municipalities participating in the review have already engaged in discussions regarding “Building Turbo” applications. Furthermore, more than half of the submitted applications were approved. The ministry states that the monitoring results indicate that municipalities are primarily deploying the Building Turbo to foster the further development of existing urban areas. Specifically, nearly nine out of ten approved housing units are being built on already utilized land-such as in residential and commercial zones, mixed-use areas, vacant lots, or unused brownfields. Only about twelve percent of the approved housing units are located on previous green or agricultural land.
To further develop this instrument, the ministry will now collaborate with eight pilot municipalities: Munich, Frankfurt am Main, Duisburg, Kiel, Trier, Ratingen, Rüdersdorf near Berlin, and the district of Nienburg (Weser). According to the minister, each city brings distinct starting points and specific questions to the table. The goal is to examine concrete case studies, formulate municipal guidelines, and test how processes can be accelerated while simultaneously securing urban quality.
Hubertz noted that “the results show that the Building Turbo conserves land by, for example, closing building gaps or adding stories to existing buildings.” She emphasized that almost nine out of ten approved apartments are being created on locations that are already utilized. Regarding the next stage, she stated, “With our eight pilot municipalities, we are taking the next step. Together, we want to see what works well locally, where we can make processes even simpler, and how we can make these experiences usable for other municipalities.” The minister believes this approach will allow as many towns and cities as possible to benefit from the new opportunities.
