The German Minister of Housing has proposed that from 2028 all building permit applications be processed digitally, except for specific exceptions. The measure aims to reduce processing times to a maximum of two years and promote modular construction to curb rising rents. Although the intention is positive, the high cost of land and current regulations remain significant obstacles for citizens.
Maximum deadlines and prefabricated modules as a technical solution 🏗️
The German proposal advocates for the complete digitalization of permits and modular standardization. The two-year deadlines would force administrations and construction companies to coordinate on unified platforms, while prefabricated modules would reduce construction times and labor costs. However, integrating computer systems across municipalities and adapting local regulations are technical challenges that require investment and political will to materialize.
Goodbye paperwork, hello clicks that fix nothing 😅
That from 2028 only digital applications will be accepted sounds modern, but in practice, swapping a paper form for a PDF does not solve the underlying problem. Land prices remain sky-high, and the two-year deadlines seem like a joke when current paperwork already eats up half that time. In the end, citizens will still be waiting for their rent not to rise while politicians celebrate having uploaded the folder to the cloud.