Detail 6.2023

Anyone who asks the inevitable question about climate protection in architecture today will receive not one, but many answers. They concern the energy consumption of buildings, their gray energy and the use of materials that reduce the CO2 footprint. In addition, building in the existing fabric is finally being valued, and the single-variety design of demountable structures is coming into focus, as are, fundamentally, the principles of the circular economy. Barbara Zettel and Jakob Schoof asked Michael Braungart, the inventor of the principle, about the current status of cradle-to-cradle in the construction industry for the interview in this issue.The project documentations show the most diverse concepts and solutions with which architecture faces up to its climate responsibility. Among them are pioneering buildings made of used materials, daring photovoltaic applications and a school project in which building on existing structures has been masterfully perfected. There is no one-size-fits-all recipe for climate issues in architecture, and there is still much to be done. So let’s stay tuned.