The Institute for Federal Real Estate (BImA) is delivering a concrete construction project in the strained housing market of the Baden university city of Freiburg. In the centrally located Kleineschholz quarter in the Stühlinger district, not far from the main railway station, the federal authority celebrated the official ground-breaking ceremony for two new residential buildings. The project comprises 44 residential units and is being developed as part of the nationwide housing offensive.
The Kleineschholz quarter is situated between Sundgauallee and Lehener Straße on the site of a former allotment garden estate, which has been transformed into a new urban quarter by the City of Freiburg since 2023. BImA previously owned the site and sold the majority of the land to the municipality. However, two of the 15 designated plots remained in federal ownership to enable the development of its own housing.
Serial timber construction and high energy efficiency
The plans provide for an ensemble of two residential buildings divided into three structures of four, five, and seven storeys. In addition to the flats, which offer layouts ranging from 1.5 to five rooms, a day-care centre will be integrated into the complex. Completion of the entire project is scheduled for 2029.
In terms of structure, the project is characterised by a high level of prefabrication. The buildings are being constructed using serial methods, with industrially prefabricated solid timber components also being used for load-bearing walls and ceilings. Timber accounts for almost 80 per cent of the building structures. Only the day-care centre, sections of the stairwells, and the basement levels will be built in reinforced concrete. The new buildings achieve the EGB40 energy efficiency standard and consume 60 per cent less primary energy than the statutory reference value. Transport links include two nearby tram stops.
Project participants and allocation concept
Construction is being carried out by building contractor Swietelsky in cooperation with Austrian firm B Solution, which serves as the manufacturer of the serial building modules. Architectural design is the responsibility of Esslinger Project GmbH.
Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony, Susanne Dübon, Head of Portfolio Management at BImA, highlighted the cooperation with the City of Freiburg, which made this inner-city development possible. Freiburg's Lord Mayor Martin Horn described the building project as an essential milestone for the Kleineschholz quarter, emphasising its role model character for socially equitable and sustainable housing construction.
The allocation of the rental flats follows the principles of the federal housing welfare scheme. The accommodation is therefore primarily aimed at federal employees, including members of the Federal Police, Customs, and military service personnel and their families. Flats that are not allocated under this welfare remit will subsequently be made available to the open housing market under identical terms.
