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| Key themes at BAU: Energy-efficiency, universal design and R&M Some topics are so important that they will shape the future of building and construction. No investor, no planner and none of the building trades will be able to ignore them. And top of the list of themes these days are energy efficiency, universal design and renovation & modernisation. At BAU 2009 these will be reflected in almost all sections of the exhibition. 'Klimakatastrophe' (easily recognisable as 'climate catastrophe' in English) was named as 'Word of the Year' in Germany in 2007. The worldwide debate about energy-saving, energy acquisition and CO2 emissions is summed up in this evocative word. The building industry cannot remain immune. No less than 40 percent of the energy consumed by end customers in Germany is used for space-heating and hot water in buildings. In the other countries of the EU the picture looks very similar. Rising energy prices, diminishing raw materials resources and increasing global demand – all of this is increasing the pressure on the building industry to look for energy-saving solutions and concept. Energy-efficient construction and energy-efficiency improvements to existing buildings are therefore key themes at BAU 2009. Much time is being devoted to this whole topic, not only at the exhibitors´ stands, but also in many events in the accompanying programme: * In the new forum 'Future of Building' planners and architects from all over the world will be presenting current projects on the theme of energy and architecture, and solar design. * To kick off BAU on 12 January 2009, the German Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs is organising a congress in the International Congress Centre Munich (ICM) on the subject of 'Sustainable, energy-efficient building and modernisation'. * The architectural journal DETAIL, in its symposium on Energy and Sustainability, which takes place on 14 January 2009 as part of BAU, is exploring current issues in energy efficiency in architecture and creating a platform for information and exchange. * Improving energy efficiency is also a focal theme in a forum dedicated to ways of dealing with existing building stock. A series of lectures is also planned for this forum. Demographic trends indicate that by the year 2050 the number of over-80-year-olds will have almost tripled. Attention is therefore focusing on the needs of the aged and the infirm, but not exclusively on this group. The term 'universal design' covers design that meets the requirements of all people, regardless of age, ability or physical condition. In relation to architecture and planning, the aim is to design the home environment in such a way that people with or without a handicap, the old and the young, the tall and the small, can live as independently and comfortably as possible within that environment. At BAU, too, this theme is attracting ever more interest. More and more manufacturers are ensuring that their products and systems are usable by people of all ages and abilities. Together with the initiative 'Leben ohne Barrieren' (Living without Barriers) BAU is putting on a special display on this subject. This display is intended as a joint exhibition featuring a range of companies and company presentations. 'Leben ohne Barrieren' is doing the overall organisation and ensuring that independent advice is available to the trade audience. The display, to be set up on a 350 m² park-like landscape, looks at the design of individual rooms, and also at new forms of living, such as the 'generation house'. Other themes include control and automation, security and innovation, bathrooms and wellness, and design of outdoor spaces. In addition, in a joint presentation of products, visitors will be able to take a look at a wide range of products specifically designed to suit the needs of older people or people with a physical disability. Against a background of stagnating population figures, an adequate supply of housing and – in many countries in Europe – a slowdown in new residential development, the subject of renovation and modernisation is gaining ever more significance throughout Europe. For the building industry, the theme of modernisation and renovation of existing housing stock is playing an ever greater role. Currently around 60 percent of all investment in housing in Germany is in existing stock. Whole sectors, from large companies to small builders are now making the majority of their turnover in this segment. In Germany the opportunities in this field are wide, because about two thirds of apartments are older than 25 years. In Europe the proportion of building services delivered to and for existing stock is around 50 percent. Small and medium-sized building firms can benefit from this attractive segment, which holds great promise for the future. Each day, under the motto 'Renovation and Modernisation Marketplace', there will be a series of lectures, seminars and workshops. write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Construction News :: home page |