From 17 to 20 August 2026, the fifth EBZ ClimateCamp took place on the EBZ campus in Bochum. Forty young trainees from the housing and real estate industry explored how housing can remain affordable while buildings become more climate-friendly and cities must adapt to changing ecological requirements such as heat and heavy rainfall. The event made it clear that the transformation of the housing industry primarily occurs in the existing building segment and has a complexity that extends beyond purely technical aspects.
Professor Dr.-Ing. Philip Engelhardt, Professor for Building Energy Technology and Heat Supply at EBZ Business School and scientific director of the ClimateCamp, set the professional framework. He emphasised that the aim was not to present ready-made solutions to the young participants, but rather to highlight the close interdependencies of ecological, social, and economic issues. Climate protection and climate adaptation must therefore be implemented within ecological limits, without neglecting the affordability of housing and social needs.
Climate as an economic opportunity
Professor Dr.-Ing. Armin Just, Professor for Building Technology at EBZ Business School, underlined the urgency for action and saw climate protection and climate adaptation as a common task for buildings and districts. He advocated for understanding economic dynamics as part of the solution. As soon as stakeholders in climate protection and climate adaptation recognise a business model and can generate prosperity, he explained, capitalism will become the engine for the necessary changes. The ClimateCamp workshops allowed participants to design their own 'Districts of Possibilities', addressing topics such as de-sealing, shading, biodiversity, energy-efficient refurbishment, photovoltaics, tenant electricity, as well as social provisions and new housing forms within the district.
Excursions offered practical insights. At hwg eG in Hattingen, serial refurbishment methods, prefabricated facade elements, timber construction, and photovoltaics in existing buildings were discussed. In Wuppertal, Neue Effizienz demonstrated how sustainable mobility, the energy and heat transition can work together in a district, from mobility stations to the circular economy.
Standards and affordable housing
Alexander Rychter, Association Director of VdW Rheinland Westfalen, addressed the cost debate in housing construction. Following a meeting with Federal Minister for Building Verena Hubertz, he argued for a stronger critical examination of building standards and referred to Dutch models, where housing quality is maintained despite simpler construction methods and serial construction techniques are successfully applied. He stressed the need to manage the balancing act between affordable housing, climate adaptation, and the sensible development of existing buildings, guided by the principle of 'Efficiency first' – targeted refurbishment instead of comprehensive implementation of what is technically feasible.
The panel discussion "Affordable Housing – Protecting the Climate!" highlighted the contentious nature of this task. Moderated by Professor Dr.-Ing. Philip Engelhardt, Dr. Kathrin Manthei from GEBAG, Dr. Hans-Jochem Witzke from the German Tenants' Association NRW, Sascha Rodenberg from NRW.BANK, Fabian Kohlmann from hwg eG, and Leonie Gröning from the InWIS research institute participated. The discussion covered modernisation of existing buildings, social compatibility, energy supply, and tenant electricity. A central point was the trade-off between economically feasible refurbishment and affordability for tenants. There was a consensus that the primary focus should be on energy sources to reduce CO₂ emissions, as extensive energy renovations could significantly increase living costs.
Finally, Professor Dr.-Ing. Heiko Gsell from EBZ Business School presented digital applications for energy saving. Marco Pitzer, Organisational Director of EBZ, drew a positive conclusion from the ClimateCamp and particularly acknowledged Jana Hintze, Maurine Ewald, Johanna Lange, and Mathis Homann from the workshop leadership for their contribution to the format's success.
