The NEW bauhaus innovation festival, which takes place on 2 and 3 September 2026 in the Weimarhalle, features substantial participation from the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building (BMWSB). Several specialists and executives from the Ministry are contributing to the programme. The patronage for the event had already been assumed in advance by Federal Minister of Building, Verena Hubertz.
The official opening will be conducted by State Secretary Dr Olaf Joachim, who will deliver a welcoming address on behalf of the Federal Minister of Building. The agenda covers a variety of topics considered relevant for the future development of the construction sector. These include the transformation of the construction industry, the role of International Building Exhibitions, innovative research approaches, Smart Cities, and the accommodation of homeless persons.
Michael Kynast, Managing Director of Messe Erfurt and organiser on behalf of the Thuringian State Government, underlines the importance of political support. He notes that the support from the BMWSB brings topics to Weimar that are crucial for the future of construction, and promotes exchange with business, science, and practice.
Focus topics and contributions
Reiner Nagel, spokesperson for the NEW bauhaus Presidium and Chairman of the Federal Foundation for Building Culture, will introduce the event under the motto “The new building begins now”. A central aspect is the social dimension of the built environment. André Riemer, Head of the Division “National Action Plan against Homelessness, Promotion of Accessibility and Housing for Special Needs Groups” at the BMWSB, will present the guideline for accommodating homeless people. This contribution refers to the National Action Plan against Homelessness adopted by the Federal Cabinet in 2024 and the goal of overcoming homelessness and rough sleeping in Germany by 2030.
In the programme slot “IBA – Transformation through Innovation”, Andreas Hofer, Managing Director of the International Building Exhibition 2027 StadtRegion Stuttgart (IBA’27), and Jan Schultheiss, Advisor for European and International Urban and Spatial Development Policy at the BMWSB, will address the role of International Building Exhibitions in urban and regional change processes.
New approaches for the construction sector will be discussed under the title “Researching, Building, Transforming: Impulses from the ReBuilt Project”. MinDir Dirk Scheinemann, Head of Division for Building Policy, Construction Industry and Federal Buildings at the BMWSB, is involved here. He will discuss the situation together with Prof. Dr Philipp Misselwitz, CEO Bauhaus Erde, Dr Anne Holsten, Project Manager ReBuilt at Bauhaus Erde, and Dr-Ing. Elena Wiezorek, Director of the Federal Building Academy Foundation. Dirk Scheinemann will also be present at the “Transformation Barometer Construction Industry 2025/2026”, where he will discuss the status of transformation along the construction value chain with stakeholders from the Federal Building Academy Foundation, engineering, and crafts.
Comprehensive discourse for the future of construction
Municipal implementation will be addressed in the contribution “Climate-neutral and Smart Cities – Report from Practice”, where Dr Beate Ginzel, Head of the Digital City, EU Mission and Smart City Division of the City of Leipzig, will share practical insights. Festival Director Michael Rücker underlines the breadth of topics, ranging from homelessness to International Building Exhibitions, and stresses that transformation must integrate social, technological, economic, and urban development policy issues. The innovation festival serves as a platform for stakeholders from the construction and real estate industry, politics, science, planning, and society to develop solutions for the transformation of building, housing, and urban development.
