GERMANY –  The Federal Association of German Prefabricated Construction (BDF) welcomed the Cabinet’s approval of a special regulation for residential construction, calling it a clear signal to accelerate building efforts across Germany.

A particularly notable update is the removal of the originally planned minimum threshold of six residential units, making the regulation inclusive of smaller-scale housing.

“With this decision, the federal government is significantly strengthening the position of owner-occupied homes,” said Mathias Schäfer, President of the BDF. “We expressly welcome that such a strong message for accelerated planning is being sent so early in the government’s new term.”

The initial version of the plan focused only on larger residential developments, but with the change, single-family and two-family houses will also benefit from the expedited approval processes. Schäfer emphasized that this inclusion reflects a serious approach to meeting citizens’ housing needs: “That the government explicitly considers single-family homes – Germany’s most popular housing form – proves it takes people’s preferences seriously.”

The BDF sees the move as a decisive step toward faster, more efficient construction, especially important amid Germany’s ongoing housing shortage.