Virtual office building in Baden-Württemberg serves as a blueprint for nationwide implementation in Germany
Baden-Württemberg, a leading region in Germany's digital transformation, has been recognised for its advancements in digitalizing building codes. The Central Real Estate Committee (ZIA), the leading association of the real estate industry in Germany, presented an award to Baden-Württemberg in the category of digitalization.
The award was given in recognition of the reform of the virtual building authority in Baden-Württemberg, which has been in effect since the beginning of the year. The reform aims to accelerate and simplify procedures for everyone involved in the construction and real estate sectors.
The virtual building authority, introduced one and a half years ago, enables a legally binding standard for the complete electronic submission and processing of building law procedures for the first time in Baden-Württemberg. As of mid-May, a total of 21,335 cases have been triggered by the digital system.
The reform has been particularly successful in the city of Mannheim, the district of Esslingen, and the Ortenaukreis, where the system is used most frequently. Across the region, the digital system has been implemented in 167 out of 209 building authorities.
The jury, chaired by Barbara Ettinger-Brinckmann, commended Baden-Württemberg's regulatory model, which aligns with the state's Industrie 4.0 initiatives. These initiatives promote smart manufacturing and construction principles, including modular, prefab construction methods and advanced digital compliance management tools.
Baden-Württemberg's Minister of Housing, Nicole Razavi, a member of the CDU (Christian Democratic Union), accepted the award at the Real Estate Day in Berlin. The competition "Awarded Regulated - The Most Innovative Building Codes in Germany" also honoured six other federal states: Bayern, Hamburg, Berlin, Niedersachsen, Schleswig-Holstein, and Baden-Württemberg.
For more information about the virtual building authority in Baden-Württemberg, please contact Jürgen Schmidt at 0711 66601-147 or via email at his listed address. The decision to introduce the virtual building authority was made by the state parliament with a change to the building code (LBO).
The digitalization of building codes is a growing trend in Germany, with other states advancing similarly at differing paces within federal frameworks aimed at innovation, sustainability, and digital sovereignty. These efforts complement Germany’s digital economy strategy, which includes investments in AI and cloud computing, aiming to secure digital sovereignty and innovation leadership.
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- The digitalization of building codes in Baden-Württemberg, such as the introduction of the virtual building authority, reflects the region's commitment to adopting innovative technologies in the real-estate and construction sectors.
- The reform's focus on simplifying and accelerating procedures through technology aligns with Germany's broader digital economy strategy, which emphasizes investments in artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
- The success of the digital building authority in Baden-Württemberg, especially in regions like Mannheim, Esslingen, and Ortenaukreis, demonstrates the potential for digital transformation to positively impact the finance and investing landscape of the real-estate industry.
