Thuringian Innovation Centre for the Future of Construction: Ground-Breaking Ceremony in Weimar
On 20 April, a new chapter at Weimar's Construction Research Centre will begin: A modern technical centre for sustainable construction will be built on a 4,300 square metre site in the Tröbsdorf area. The »Innovationszentrum-Bau« is being developed by the »IAB – Institut für Angewandte Bauforschung Weimar gGmbH«. The centre will intensify collaboration between the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar and the Materials Research and Testing Laboratory (MFPA) Weimar. The goal is to pool existing expertise and increase the transfer of research findings into industrial practice. High profile guests, including Elisabeth Kaiser, Ostbeauftragte for the Federal Government, Thuringian Minister President Mario Voigt, and Minister of Economic Affairs Colette Boos-John, are expected to attend the ground-breaking ceremony.
Construction is one of the most resource- and energy-intensive industries in the world. Within this context, the three Weimar-based research institutions have been working for years as partners in the »Innovationszentrum-Bau«, where they develop innovative solutions for climate-friendly and resource-efficient construction. In Thuringia, and especially in Weimar, a unique and innovative landscape has emerged specifically for this purpose: Over 500 qualified employees from the fields of construction and building materials are now working on over 40 ongoing and approved projects with a total budget of 40 million euros through to 2027. Together, they are pursuing the »Efficient Construction Industries« approach, which is a holistic perspective on material and energy flows throughout building’s entire life cycles.
Closing the Gap Between Labs and Application
Up until now, a lot of research has been limited when it comes to applying findings to larger scales. This is where the »Innovationszentrum-Bau« comes in: It provides the infrastructure needed to test new materials and processes under realistic conditions and to demonstrate their industrial applicability.
The focus of future research includes loam-based building materials and components, interactions between building materials and the environment, new binder systems to reduce the use of Portland cement, the development of climate-friendly alternatives, and recycling and the circular economy for processing and reusing building materials.
The »Innovationszentrum-Bau« will allow Weimar to expand its role as leading location for sustainable construction innovation. The Centre will improve the regional research landscape and provide significant momentum for the construction industry in Germany and beyond. At the same time, the Centre also belongs to the planned research infrastructure centred around the »Bundesforschungszentrum für klimaneutrales und ressourceneffizientes Bauen« (BFZ) (Federal Construction Research Centre) in Weimar, which the State has promised to the federal government.
Thuringian Innovation Centre for the Future of Construction Ground-Breaking Ceremony
20 April 2026 2:30 pm
Über der Nonnenwiese 1, 99428 Weimar
Media representatives are warmly invited to attend the event. The event is organised by the IAB Weimar
(Contact: Madlen Szabó)
Programme
Opening Event:
Robert Fetter, Institute Director of Angewandte Bauforschung Weimar gGmbH
Welcoming Address:
Elisabeth Kaiser, Federal Government Commissioner for Eastern Germany
Mario Voigt, Thuringian Minister President
Colette Boos-John, Thuringian Minister of »Wirtschaft, Landwirtschaft und Ländlichen Raum«
Joint Discussion – Partners from the Innovation Centre
Prof. Guido Morgenthal, Vice President of Projects and Research at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
Prof. Carsten Könke, Scientific Director of the Materials Research and Testing Laboratory (MFPA) Weimar, Prof. Horst-Michael Ludwig, Institute Director of the F.A. Finger-Institute for Building Material Engineering at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
Robert Fetter, Institute Director of the IAB – Institut für Angewandte Bauforschung
Closing Ceremony:
Ground-Breaking and Filling of a Time Capsule
Get-Together
More information on the »Innovationszentrum-Bau« can be found at:
https://www.die-zukunft-des-bauens.de
Questions can be directed to Dana Höftmann, Public Relations Officer at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, via e-mail: dana.hoeftmann@uni-weimar.de or by phone: Phone: +49 (0)3643 / 581193