A recent study indicates that construction regulations are significantly increasing building costs. Specifically, roughly one-fifth of the price hike observed since the year 2000 can be attributed directly to mandated specifications.
Dietmar Walberg, head of the Kiel Institute for Building Research, stated to the RND that “all these regulatory frameworks have contributed 20 percent to the price escalation over the last 25 years,” concluding that “this system has run out of control.” Heike Böhmer, Director of the Institute for Building Research in Hanover, echoed this sentiment, pointing out that as designs become increasingly complex-incorporating more advanced installation technology and thicker insulation layers-there is an expectation of quality and accuracy that is extremely difficult to achieve during on-site execution.
Both experts are raising alarms about the immense “norm frustration” within the construction sector. They argue that to encourage more housing construction, urgent action must be taken to review and reform current standards. Walberg and Böhmer are calling for a “radical cure” to address these regulations during a forthcoming conference on building standards.
Walberg highlighted specific conflicts, explaining that these details often contradict one another. For example, striving for complete accessibility (to enable barrier-free living) can clash with regulations requiring absolute moisture-proof sealing, presenting a clear contradiction within the system. He reinforced his view that this complex framework is fundamentally flawed. Böhmer added that the sheer volume and complexity of these standards do not necessarily lead to buildings that are qualitatively superior, more robust, or more resilient than previous constructions.
As a potential solution, the experts are advocating for the implementation of “Building Type E,” a concept intended to streamline construction processes. A draft law concerning this concept is currently under development by Federal Minister of Building Verena Hubertz and Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig (SPD).
