Dipl.-Ing. Jochen Salmen
Sindelfingen, Friedrichshafen
Mail: j.salmen@mvd-plan.de
We plan holistically.
And with foresight.
Above all, planning buildings also means taking responsibility for the built environment of future generations. How can we build in a future-proof way that is both aesthetically pleasing and economical? We have to ask ourselves this question with every project. As clients, architects, planners and contractors.
The construction industry has a special role to play in solving the tasks ahead, as a large proportion of climate-damaging emissions are caused directly or indirectly in the construction industry. Specifically, it accounts for up to 60% of climate-damaging emissions worldwide and around 30% of CO2 emissions. Rethinking building planning and construction is therefore the most important task.
Adaptively sustainable. Through flexible use.


Every construction project shapes our environment, usually for a long time. This requires a willingness to take responsibility and, as a result, the most positive overall balance possible in order to create long-term value. A complex task for which all parameters must be coordinated from the outset. Grey energy - i.e. the energy required to construct the building - is of central importance in this consideration.
Then there are the gray emissions. This includes all emissions generated by the building over its entire service life until it is demolished (cradle to grave). This gives rise to numerous starting points that we take into account during the planning stage and through which the supporting structure has a positive influence on the sustainability of a building.
Building materials: an important sustainability factor.


The use of renewable raw materials, the consistent reduction of resources used and the recycling of used materials (reuse principle) are key factors when considering sustainability. It is worth checking and adapting the materials used accordingly.
More environmentally friendly load-bearing structures can be built using recycled steel, for example. The use of concrete with a lower proportion of clinker saves up to 30% CO2. Lightweight constructions can reduce the materials used to the necessary minimum.
The reduction of reinforcement ratios offers another major savings potential. Here at MVD, we have developed a special calculation model with which the degree of reinforcement can be reduced to a minimum. Wood as a renewable raw material - provided it comes from regional and sustainable forestry - can replace many structures made of steel and concrete and enables supporting structures with a very good CO2 balance.
To see connections.
To create synergies.
The focus here is on the life cycle of the building. From the idea, the CO2 and energy balance to the materials used, the subsequent recycling and the minimal use of resources, the entire cycle is considered. This means thinking before and after in order to guarantee the long-term value of buildings as well as their sustainability. The relevant parameters can be used and combined using a well thought-out structural and design concept.
To this end, MVD has set up its own "Sustainable Structures" team of experts, which deals with the development of concepts for CO2-neutral structures. In individual working groups, all aspects of climate-neutral construction are systematically examined and further developed. We see the further development of "sustainability in construction" as a central task to which we are actively committed.

