Gerhard Breitschaft, President of DIBt

On 22 May 2026, we celebrate International Building Safety Day for the third time. This day highlights the value and benefits of a safe built environment and raises awareness of the vital role that safe and sustainable construction play for people’s lives and well-being. This year’s theme, “Built to Last,” underscores the close connection between sustainability goals and building safety.

Heavy rainfall, heatwaves, and severe storms – as extreme weather events become more frequent, a new dimension of building safety is coming into focus: the resilience and durability of structures. Around the world, experts are working to maintain and, where necessary, enhance the resilience of the built environment, adapt buildings and infrastructure to increased stresses, including those arising from changing climate conditions, to protect human life.

Against the backdrop of the ongoing debate on an aging infrastructure, housing shortages, and rising construction costs, it is more important than ever to make thoughtful decisions about where, when, and how we invest. In this context, approaches that take into account the entire life cycle of structures are both important and valuable.

Robust construction products and techniques that are maintenance- and repair-friendly help create durable structures and, in doing so, conserve natural resources. I am proud that, at DIBt, we are able to support the construction sector in bringing innovative products and construction techniques to building sites, contributing to this transformation.

Another key factor is the continuous development of robust, future-oriented standards that address new regulatory requirements and establish procedures for better assessing the existing building stock.

Building safety would not be possible without the many dedicated professionals committed to advancing our regulatory framework and enabling new engineering solutions. My sincere thanks go to everyone involved in advancing this work.