General information
With the UmBauLabor, Baukultur NRW is participating in the current debate on the preservation of buildings and supports the demand that preservation should always take precedence over demolition and subsequent new construction. The focus is on circularity, climate and resource protection and adaptable spatial programming in existing buildings.
Target values
- Economical
- Ecological
- Social
Content focus
- Construction type / method
- Climate adaptation
Innovation type
- Economical
- Ecological
- Social
- Technical
Funding
- Public, federal government
Research orientation
Research design
In the UmBauLabor, rebuilding is tested in situ on a 1:1 scale. The focus is on avoiding waste, creating new cycles and using existing local and regional structures. The overarching question is “How much value is hidden in this house?”. It is part of a low-threshold communication approach that is also intended to appeal to people who are not experts in the field. The aim is to accompany the (re)construction turnaround in such a way that it finds social acceptance and, at the end, a collection of findings on the (re)construction turnaround is produced.
Research questions
- How can we avoid demolition and learn to rebuild?
- What opportunities, resources and values are hidden in a house that is supposedly ready for demolition?
- How valuable is dealing with existing buildings?
- What does resource-conserving and circular planning and building in existing buildings mean, what does sustainable conversion mean?
- How much conversion do we need?
- How does demolition work?
- How do simple life cycle assessments work and who can carry them out?
- How do material cycles of (recycled) building materials work?
- How can space be redesigned for the future?
- What role does the surrounding neighbourhood play in connection with demolition and new construction or preservation?
Cooperation
Type of co-creation
The entire process is designed collaboratively. From start to finish, creative and participatory methods are used to establish a common understanding and take action. A core team consisting of individuals with extensive experience and specific expertise drives the process by providing appropriate and creative support and guidance.
Society involvement
Organised civil society and/or local society are involved in the project through surveys.
Continuation of the project
- Das Projekt besteht auch über die Nutzung des Gebäudes hinaus und findet andere Orte und Formen der Vermittlung.
Constellation of actors
Scientific involvement
- Dortmund Technical University (active)
- Bochum University of Applied Sciences (active)
- Münster University of Applied Sciences (active)
- Other universities (including PSA, MSA, Dortmund University of Applied Sciences) (active)HLRS (High Performance Computing Centre, University of Stuttgart)
Political actors
- Baukultur NRW
Actors in administration
- City of Gelsenkirchen (active)
- Stadterneuerungsgesellschaft Gelsenkirchen Verwaltungs-GmbH (active)
Economic actors
- Ingenieurkammer-Bau Nordrhein-Westfalen (passive)
- Architektenkammer Nordrhein-Westfalen (passive)
- Verband Deutscher Ingenieure (VDI) Nordrhein-Westfalen (passive)
Organization and decision-making
Constellation of actors in daily project work
The monitoring committee meets regularly once a quarter. A “common language” had to be found in the monitoring committee. As many different viewpoints are involved, the topics were not always clearly defined and had to be questioned again and again. A regular discussion round with the local initiatives was discontinued after three meetings, as this structure was already organized by the city in the neighbourhood.
Project management
The project is still ongoing. The main coordinator is Baukultur NRW, which invites other stakeholders. Some of the seminars were also initiated by external parties on their own initiative.
Agreements and decisions
Baukultur NRW has made the final decisions. Impulses came from the project partners. Decisions were made jointly at events organized by the project partners.
Result and effect
Results and impacts in terms of affordability and other ecological and social target values
- Repairing saves potentially affordable living space
- Conversion conserves resources
- Preservation of structures that shape the neighbourhood
- Inclusion of the diverse neighbourhood through open formats and simple language
- Identification with the neighbourhood through material, structural and systemic understanding
Consideration of the EU taxonomy and ESG criteria
The aim is to make renovations resource-efficient and recyclable. It therefore makes an important contribution to research into the EU's sustainability goals.
Further information