2024

The German Sawmill and Timber Industry Association (DeSH) is confronted with a serious problem: an increasing lack of insurance cover in the industry. The DeSH is alarmed by the growing number of companies that can no longer find insurance partners. Fire detection and firefighting measures are no longer adequate, especially for small to medium-sized companies.

The real estate investment market in Germany experienced a significant decline in 2023. The transaction volume was the lowest since 2011. Despite this slump, the investment climate is slowly brightening and a certain recovery is expected. This is according to the "Trendbarometer 2024" study by Ernst & Young (EY). A quarter of those surveyed continue to expect...

The shortage of skilled workers in the roofing trade is to be combated by offering the possibility of so-called partial qualifications. These partial qualifications give people over the age of 25 the opportunity to gradually acquire professional skills and ultimately obtain a full vocational qualification. Rolf Fuhrmann, the deputy managing director of the Central Association of the...

"Data-Driven & Smart Technologies", "Smart Mobility & Building" and "Resources and Sustainability" are the new research focus areas at Bochum University of Applied Sciences. The aim of these three areas is to find innovative solutions to current challenges, promote interdisciplinary research and develop innovations. In the area of...

Under certain circumstances, a local authority can demand the retransfer of a property assigned to an association. This so-called reversion can occur if the association does not fulfill its contractual obligations. This was decided by the Federal Court of Justice (V ZR 191/22). In this case, the local authority had allowed an association to build on a plot of land within four years by means of a leasehold...

In 2024, do-it-yourself and living trends will focus on the design of bedrooms, among other things. The use of calming color tones and opaque blinds helps to create an optimal sleeping environment. The aim is to enable restful sleep through targeted interior design and thus improve the quality of life. This was announced by the DIY store chain...

Office vacancy rates in the European core markets remain low, particularly in cities such as Paris, Cologne and Hamburg. This is according to the real estate services company Savills. Although office take-up in Europe fell in the third quarter of 2023, the real estate services company expects a slight increase in Europe in 2024. However, German cities could continue to...

Early detection and professional handling of construction defects is of great importance for private builders in order to protect their rights and prevent financial losses. The Verband Privater Bauherren (vpb) points this out, stating that building owners have the opportunity to inform those responsible about construction defects and officially document them with a notice of defects. A timely...

The German Facility Management Association (gefma) awarded prizes to university graduates for their theses at the end of 2023. Laura Beck from the Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences in Wolfenbüttel received the main prize for her master's thesis on Building Information Modeling (BIM) in facility management ("BIM@FM - Analysis of the requirements for BIM data for...

If a house is sold with a covered terrace and rainwater penetrates through the terrace roof, this constitutes a material defect. This was decided by the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) (AZ: V ZR 43/23). The BGH is of the opinion that this is not just a symptom, but that the leakage of the patio roof itself constitutes the defect. The seller acts fraudulently if he does not inform the buyer about the...