Future-proof & climate-fit: Innovations for the renovation, optimisation and revitalisation of existing public buildings

Climate change presents public clients and infrastructure operators with the urgent task of adapting existing buildings and facilities to new climatic conditions. Extreme weather events such as heat islands, heavy rainfall and flooding are increasingly affecting costs, functionality, safety and quality of use, both for people and for ongoing operations.

At the heart of this challenge is the question of how public buildings and infrastructures can be made fit for the future through targeted renovation and revitalisation measures. Innovative approaches are being sought that make the portfolio more resilient, sustainable, intelligent and economical – in particular by reducing operating and maintenance costs. Impulses from the fields of technology, material innovation and process design are in demand, which open up new paths for climate-friendly and resource-saving use.

The focus is on the following aspects, among others:
• Adaptation of existing structures to climatic stresses
• Minimizing the effects of extreme weather
• Sustainable, energy-efficient and resource-saving operation
• Role of digital, organizational and structural innovations for more climate protection and adaptability (e.g. modularly expandable or serial construction)

The market should bring in versatile and transferable solutions that combine ecological, economic and social aspects and can be flexibly applied to different framework conditions. Holistic approaches that combine climate protection, circular economy, sustainable energy supply, responsible supply and value chains, biodiversity, soil protection, resource efficiency, building culture quality and social inclusion are particularly welcome. This list is not exclusive and can be extended with corresponding submissions (please pay attention to the non-goals).

We are looking for holistic products and services that combine various aspects such as energy, resources and climate protection in the overall system (e.g. a comprehensive renovation concept with damping, renewable energies and digital control, modular and sustainable modular systems), as well as concrete trade- or topic-specific solutions, such as innovative window or shading systems, water-saving sanitary technology, or a digital indoor climate monitoring. Trades are welcome if their ideas contribute to increasing climate resilience. Marketable, scalable and implementation-oriented solutions, such as new construction and renovation methods (services), technologies, materials and processes that lead to measurably higher climate resilience and at the same time to a reduction in the running costs of buildings, infrastructures and their surroundings, can be submitted.

The solutions should contribute to:
• Anchor climate protection and climate change adaptation in the building stock
• Promote a circular economy and resource efficiency
• To support a sustainable energy supply, supply chain and logistics
• Strengthen biodiversity and soil protection, for example through unsealing or greening
• To ensure the quality of building culture and architectural enhancement, e.g. renovation taking into account regional building culture and high-quality design of open spaces
• Include social inclusion and regional value creation in transformation processes, e.g. involve local craft businesses and involve the population in the planning process
• More efficient use of financial resources in ongoing operations and maintenance
• Impact must be measurable!

Non-objectives of the challenge:
• Planning new buildings or new construction projects – the focus is on existing buildings!
• Pure design or consulting services that do not involve any specific technological or construction innovation
• Pure awareness-raising or educational measures, without reference to a feasible solution
• Measures that do not have a direct effect on the property itself or its immediate surroundings, such as large-scale urban planning concepts or general environmental concepts that go beyond the properties and its direct context
• Products or measures that only improve comfort, design or aesthetics, e.g. designer faucets, light installations or exclusive floor lighting– without a clear contribution to climate resilience.

Submissions from consortia that jointly develop a holistic solution concept consisting of several partial solutions for the renovation or revitalisation of climate-fit buildings are welcome.

Take your chance and present your innovative approaches. Companies or cooperation partners that already offer the most concrete products or solutions possible to overcome these challenges are called upon.

!!! The call for submission is online and open until March 16, 2026 with the following information:

• Company description & know-how
  Briefly describe your company and use references to show what know-how you have in this area and how to evaluate it. In addition, you can also present demos of solutions that have already been developed.

• Description of your solution
  Above all, go into what solution you would use to contribute to the desired result. The focus of the description should match the evaluation criteria and the requirements described.
  If possible, convince with comprehensible use cases and references. Share your ideas regarding the course of the project (timeline, or notes to the project managers).

• Summary of added value
  Get to the heart of the unique selling point and decisive advantages! What makes your solution particularly innovative? What distinguishes you?

• Confidential information (for the jury only):
  This information can be submitted confidentially via the platform.
  In this text field, you can enter further information that you want to share exclusively with the project owners. Alternatively, it is possible to send a PDF by e-mail to the moderators of the challenge.
  In addition, a cover photo is required. This is your visual figurehead in the overview of submissions to this challenge.

• Optionally, you can also attach a file. This file is intended to complement the texts of the form fields, but not to replace and repeat! Use the file attachment, e.g. for graphics.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Submissions in the consortium are possible. Keep it short (guideline: maximum 10-12 presentation slides or 4-5 A4 pages).
We are exploring the market with the challenge. It is therefore not necessary to prepare designs or feasibility studies specially prepared for this occasion.