Refuse, Reduce, Re-use, Recycle, Rot

The building sector is currently one of the largest CO2 emitters. Through the production and operation of the built environment, it is responsible for almost 40% of climate-damaging greenhouse gases. The exhibition presents various approaches to climate-friendly construction and highlights their interactions, challenges, and limitations. Overall, it becomes clear that to achieve the materials and construction revolution, all strategies must be coordinated and applied: Before any demolition, the ecological impacts and the potential for preservation of the building structure must be examined. The consumption of usable space, raw materials, and soil must be reduced. In the rare event of demolition in the future, the material or components should be reused where possible and otherwise recycled – as a second-choice method. In new and existing construction, natural, renewable materials can replace energy-intensive and difficult-to-recycle/reuse building materials in many places.

Opening: February 1, 2025, 10 a.m.