Bundestag debates new Building Code: Faster construction and arming cities against heat

Goals of the reform

Verena Hubertz (SPD) appealed in the plenary, with a view to the current heatwave, for more climate adaptation in urban development. "Begrünte Dächer, Bäume, die vor Hitze schützen - wer in diesen Tagen draußen unterwegs ist, der merkt, das ist kein 'nice to have', sondern ein 'must have'", Hubertz said in the Bundestag. She also declared: "Wir brauchen auch etwas gegen die Hitze, das spüren wir doch alle gerade bei weit über 30 Grad". Under the new law, municipalities should in future be able to expropriate so-called derelict properties more easily when "extremer Missbrauch" is present.

Criticism of the project came from the ranks of the Greens. Their member of parliament Kassem Taher Saleh accused the coalition of weakening nature conservation and environmental standards with the draft. "Sie sprechen von Naturschutz, Sie sprechen von Hitze, Sie sprechen von grünen Städten, aber klar ist, mit dem aktuellen Gesetzentwurf des Baugesetzbuchs schwächen sie den Naturschutz und die Umweltstandards", said Saleh. The planned streamlining of environmental assessments and public participation procedures is, in his view, problematic.

Opposition criticism

Die Linke also expressed fundamental reservations. Katalin Gennburg said, with a view to the climate crisis, that the principle "build, build, build" was the wrong approach. As solutions to the housing crisis, she proposed a rent cap (Mietendeckel) as well as the use of vacant apartments.

Criticism also came from the AfD parliamentary group. Marc Bernhard argued that the draft would not change the sluggish pace of housing construction because it would not reduce building costs. Without a reduction in building costs, the hoped-for effect would fail to materialise.

Concerns and next steps

The federal government hopes the reform will noticeably stimulate the housing market. The draft provides for environmental impact assessments and participation procedures to be streamlined. "Die Umweltweltprüfung und die Bürgerbeteiligung sollen gestrafft werden", according to the document. Supporters argue that shorter procedures will enable investments in affordable housing to be made more quickly.

Opponents fear that the easements will hollow out environmental and participation rights. In future, municipalities are to receive more instruments in the fight against climate change, including the possibility, in cases of "extremen Missbrauchs", of expropriating derelict properties. The debate is seen as an initial starting point; the Bundestag will continue to deliberate on the law in the coming months.

The planned amendment is part of a larger package to accelerate planning and approval procedures. This includes digital procedures, shorter deadlines and a stronger bundling of participation steps. With the prioritisation of housing construction, competing uses such as commercial or transport projects should in future have to take a back seat.