Dear readers,
I am pleased to present this year's DIBt Annual Report in digital form for the first time. Our goal was to provide you with the most important information and key figures on DIBt, its responsibilities and the developments that shaped 2023 and 2024 in a concise and readily-available format.
What characterised the past two years? For me, it was the discussions surrounding the recast of the Construction Products Regulation, but also the determined efforts of the construction industry to make construction more sustainable, starting from production and use of products, operation of buildings and refurbishment of existing buildings, to recycling and reuse of building components. The years of 2023 and 2024 were also marked by the extensive review of the Eurocodes, discussions on the follow-up cost of standards and, last but not least, the digitalisation of DIBt's processes.
As far as the revised Construction Products Regulation is concerned, we at DIBt hope that it will help to solve, or at least to mitigate, the problem of incomplete harmonised standards, even if the CPR Acquis Process is still finding its feet and Member States sometimes find it hard to have specific requirements taken into consideration.
This doesn't change the fact that the clear commitment of the Construction Products Regulation to more sustainability and a higher level of digitalisation is the right way forward. And I say this fully aware that there are still many details to address, and that some of them may push us outside our comfort zones.
The manufacturers who apply to us for approvals, construction technique permits and ETAs for their innovations have been demonstrating for many years that it is possible to do more in terms of conserving scarce resources and reducing the carbon footprint of our built environment. We can promote and support more climate- and resource-friendly construction through appropriate policies and regulatory frameworks, both at national and European level.
The work on the second generation of the Eurocodes, which is now nearing completion, should also be seen in the light of future regulatory needs and technical progress. Like the first generation of structural design standards, the second generation of this EU-wide reference work will be introduced in Germany as part of the regulatory framework. DIBt is closely involved in this process.
Standards consolidate technical progress and help to remove technical barriers to trade. Most recently, however, the cost implications of standardisation have emerged as a central topic of debate. A comparison with the development of property prices, material costs and interest rates in recent years puts into perspective the extent to which standards actually influence construction costs. Standards also do not change that quickly. However, professionals who feel overwhelmed by the number (or complexity) of provisions need to be taken seriously. Input on potential improvements or removal of provisions is always welcome.
A large network of experts supports our work. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to them: Many thanks to all the experts who share their vast knowledge with us. And a big thank you to our partners in the industry who come to us with their innovations. A heartfelt thank you also to my DIBt colleagues for their commitment and effort. And last but not least, many thanks to the representatives of the federal states and the federal administration who have placed their trust in us.
I would particularly like to thank Mr Werner Koch from Hamburg, who has guided our Institute for more than 17 years as Chairman of the Supervisory Board, and Mr Gernot Rodehack from Bavaria, who has taken on this challenging role for the coming years.
With such a strong network, we will be able to lay the foundations for a digital and sustainable future in construction. Let's get to work!
