Green SandboxBuilder - Regulatory sandboxes in the field of sustainable construction and renovation

Status

completed (April 2024)

In the "Green SandboxBuilder" project (2022 to 2024), the need for regulatory sandboxes for ecologically sustainable and climate-effective projects in the construction sector was systematically identified and concretized for the first time in Austria. An interdisciplinary consortium of four partners under the consortium lead of the open innovation consultancy winnovation together with the academic partners Vienna University of Technology, University of Applied Sciences Campus Wien and For Forest Forever GmbH, supported by the legal expertise of Schönherr Rechtsanwälte GmbH and a broad network in the construction and sustainability context, investigated in several steps in this research project in which areas there is a need for regulatory sandboxes and where the greatest impact on the environment and society can be expected at the same time.

To achieve the greatest possible significance, around 200 people from the field of sustainable architecture and construction and renovation in Austria were involved in the development of the study in a customized open innovation process using interviews, co-creation formats and an online crowdsourcing process. By means of data triangulation and pattern recognition processes, the knowledge of innovative users, experts and other stakeholders in planning, approval procedures, construction, operation, renovation, and recycling were brought together, and the needs were verified in several dimensions.

Results from the project

The analysis conducted as part of the project showed that there is hardly any international experience with regulatory sandboxes in the construction sector, although there is great potential with numerous areas of tension between regulation and sustainability goals.

The format of regulatory sandboxes was therefore further developed as part of the project and a total of four different types of regulatory sandboxes were defined, which are highly relevant for innovation and regulatory learning in the field of sustainable construction and renovation and facilitate the implementation of corresponding projects. These address the high density of regulation and the large number of regulators involved in administration and standard-setting bodies and institutions.

Secondly, 14 thematic proposals for regulatory sandboxes were developed for which there is a high demand in Austria, which are listed below:

Minimize soil consumption and soil sealing:

• Regulatory sandbox on AI applications for fair, transparent and sustainable land use planning and unsealing of land
• Regulatory sandbox for exceeding the maximum building height in order to promote redensification through ecologically sustainable projects

Promote multi-storey timber construction

• Regulatory sandbox for exceeding the maximum building height in order to promote timber construction in new buildings
• Regulatory sandbox for fire protection and fire prevention in multi-storey timber construction
• Increase thermal renovation:
• Regulatory sandbox for ecologically sustainable thermal renovation
• Regulatory sandbox for renovating and modernizing existing buildings beyond the current state of the art

Enabling affordable ecological construction

• Regulatory sandbox for ecologically sustainable new construction of residential buildings beyond the current state of the art in energy efficiency
• Regulatory sandbox for ecologically sustainable new construction of residential buildings beyond the current state of the art in terms of sound insulation

Promote ecological materials and construction methods

• Regulatory sandbox for the use of ecologically sustainable, innovative building materials that have not yet been certified

Promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency

• Regulatory sandbox on the use of AI to optimize energy consumption in buildings
• Regulatory sandbox for the use of deep geothermal energy on public land in densely built-up areas
• Regulatory sandbox on the usefulness of building component activation for the grid

Advancing the circular economy

• Regulatory sandbox for the avoidance of construction waste

No allocation, as possible as a cross-section in all subject areas:

• Regulatory sandbox on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for environmental sustainability in the construction sector

Conclusions and recommendations

The "Green SandboxBuilder" project has created new knowledge regarding the need for regulatory sandboxes in the highly regulated construction sector. This knowledge provides policy makers, standard setters, and authorities with evidence of the necessary freedom and room for experimentation in this sector, which is extremely important for decarbonization. In addition, the project has created a basis for research and innovation in the field of ecologically sustainable construction and renovation. Three main conclusions can be drawn:

• There is a strong need for regulatory initiatives to make sustainable construction and renovation more affordable and easier. Current standards and their enforcement increase the cost and effort of sustainable construction projects compared to conventional ones. Without further regulatory development, a significant contribution to decarbonization in the building sector remains untapped.
• A high level of protection, especially for life and limb, hinders regulatory learning. In the course of the current climate challenges, one approach should therefore be to focus on those regulations that aim to protect health and safety and not on a specific comfort level, for example in connection with room height. Limit values should be redefined.
• Regulatory sandboxes can be implemented quickly and without complex preparatory work. Experimental clauses in material laws are desirable, but not absolutely necessary. However, the involvement of various regulators is crucial to the success of regulatory sandboxes and differs from conventional testing methods and research projects.

The following recommendations can be derived for the implementation of regulatory sandboxes in the field of sustainable construction and renovation:

• Call for tenders for research projects on the design of regulatory sandboxes in the construction sector in order to provide regulatory authorities with a basis for planning and decision-making.
• Realization of specific regulatory sandboxes with the support of the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK). Innovation labs could be a suitable instrument with certain restrictions, whereby the active involvement of regulatory authorities would be required.
• Raising awareness of regulatory sandboxes in the construction sector through targeted communication activities.
• Promote regular dialogue between interested regulators in the construction sector and support this through a working group on sustainable and affordable construction and renovation.
• Anchoring experimental clauses in federal laws, OIB guidelines and building regulations of the federal states.

Project management

winnovation consulting gmbh

Project or cooperation partners

• FH Campus Wien Forschungs- und Entwicklungs GmbH
• For Forest Forever GmbH
• TU Wien – Institut für Interdisziplinäres Bauprozessmanagement

winnovation consulting gmbH
Gertraud Leimüller
Linke Wienzeile 42/1/Top 5
A-1060 Vienna
Tel.: +43 (676) 957 70 18
E-mail: gertraud.leimueller@winnovation.at
Web: www.winnovation.at