In mid-September, Eike Becker attended the Ettersburg Dialogue 2026 at Ettersburg Castle near Weimar—one of the most important cross-industry forums in the German construction and real estate sectors. Over the course of two days, approximately 100 decision-makers from the fields of architecture, construction, public administration, and politics discussed how to reduce construction costs without compromising on quality.

The event resulted in a joint strategy paper titled “Reduce Costs. Improve Quality – Building Better and More Affordably,” which was adopted on-site on September 11, 2026. It outlines three key positions: building more affordably, creating reliable framework conditions, and swiftly implementing proven approaches.

Accompanying the discussions, real-world construction projects were presented that demonstrate these goals can already be achieved today—ranging from mass-produced, modular housing to a pilot project that operates with virtually no conventional heating.

Photo: © Axel Clemens for the Federal Foundation for Building Culture