Sustainable and environmentally friendly – Building in harmony with nature | DW Documentary



Building in harmony with nature, using renewable materials from the region. Sustainable building is still an adventure. But in future, it’s likely to be necessary.

In late 2021, Carolin Volk and her husband Holger decided to leave Nuremberg, in Germany and move to Burgenland, in Austria. There, they decided to build their dream house – made entirely of straw, wood and clay, it would be totally ecological. All these materials are available locally. They are also biodegradable. What the couple didn’t count on, however: not all the work can be done by amateurs and there’s a real shortage of professional craftsmen. As a result, construction of their home has already been delayed by more than a year and costs are still rising.

In Žalec, Slovenia, Andrej Fideršek chose a different approach. He wants to rebuild his old town house – avoiding any waste and using only second-hand materials, in the spirit of the circular economy. He won the European Bauhaus Prize for his design. But even he, a passionate idealist, has to make compromises when it comes to realizing his dream.

The future lies in understanding a house as a place where material is stored, according to construction experts committed to sustainable construction. Building within existing buildings is their top priority. It saves the most CO2 and conserves the most resources – that approach is better than any new building, no matter how ecological. They’re calling for a change in regulations to bring standards for renovated houses in line with the realities. Because as long as it’s easier and cheaper to demolish and rebuild from scratch, only a few builders will be enthusiastic about conversion.

#documentary #dwdocumentary
______

DW Documentary gives you knowledge beyond the headlines. Watch top documentaries from German broadcasters and international production companies. Meet intriguing people, travel to distant lands, get a look behind the complexities of daily life and build a deeper understanding of current affairs and global events. Subscribe and explore the world around you with DW Documentary.

Subscribe to:
⮞ DW Documentary (English): https://www.youtube.com/dwdocumentary
⮞ DW Documental (Spanish): https://www.youtube.com/dwdocumental
⮞ DW Documentary وثائقية دي دبليو (Arabic): https://www.youtube.com/dwdocarabia
⮞ DW Doku (German): https://www.youtube.com/dwdoku
⮞ DW Documentary हिन्दी (Hindi): https://www.youtube.com/dwdochindi

For more visit: http://www.dw.com/en/tv/docfilm/s-3610
Follow DW Documentary on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwdocumentary/
Follow DW Documental on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dwdocumental

We kindly ask viewers to read and stick to the DW netiquette policy on our channel: https://p.dw.com/p/MF1G

source