By 2050, more than 6 billion people worldwide will live and work in cities. Space, some of which is no longer available today, is therefore becoming increasingly scarce and is already reaching its limits in many places despite an increase in building density.
To make matters worse, the European construction sector is responsible for almost 50 per cent of resource consumption today. Although the parameters have improved in recent years, new construction still has a high ecological price. Globally, the production of cement, one of the basic materials of construction, is responsible for more CO2 emissions than all air traffic.
Nevertheless, energy-efficient construction is an important building block, but we believe that multiple use should be an integral part of more sustainable and modern urban development. Why?
Today, 40 percent of the total energy demand is accounted for by energy consumption in buildings. At the same time, urban spaces remain unused for more than 68 percent of their core time. In Germany alone, we need the energy of almost 2 ½ coal-fired power plants for unused office and administrative space.
However, in view of scarce resources, the economical and efficient use of energy and raw materials is one of the most urgent challenges of our time if we want to achieve the climate goals we have set.
With Locaboo's Smart Occupancy solution, we are already helping more than 450 customers in the DACH region in the smart city environment to make space and resources accessible to different user groups in a simple and uncomplicated way and to connect all stakeholders on one platform. With the shared economy approach, we increase the density of use of existing spaces and rooms in an uncomplicated way and also make the use of space more measurable, efficient and sustainable than ever before.
Modern urban development requires energy-efficient construction as well as multiple use in order to meet the challenges of the future in terms of both climate and socio-politics. We are already seeing a shift in thinking towards sustainable and efficient use of the built environment. We are all the more pleased to have been nominated for this year's Bavarian Innovation Award 2022 with this topic.