"Building type E": CDU's Luczak calls for a statutory basic standard
The SPD draft for cheaper construction faces criticism from its coalition partner and the industry. Conservatives fear the model will fail in practice.
Archive image · Photo: Olaf Kosinsky / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 de (cropped and resized)
Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig and Construction Minister Verena Hubertz (both SPD) want to change construction contract law so that builders and clients can agree to skip non-mandatory comfort standards such as impact sound insulation or ceiling height. Pilot projects suggest building costs could fall by 10 to 15 percent; fire safety and structural requirements remain untouched.
CDU housing expert Jan-Marco Luczak fears building type E could fail because it has to be explicitly agreed. He proposes a statutory basic standard as the new "normal": "If it is met, a building is free of defects." The CDU considers the proposals "not practical enough", while business groups say legal uncertainty remains.
Greens housing spokesman Kassem Taher Saleh sees "valuable room for simple standards" but urged action against speculative land prices. The law could take effect in mid-2027 at the earliest.