To build a high-quality office building and nevertheless use natural resources efficiently – a balancing act which the Federal Environment Agency has mastered in building the Haus 2019 office building in Berlin-Marienfelde. The entire building realises a sustainable method of building. For example: a photovoltaic system on the roof and a geothermal heat pump supply the building with all of its energy needs. The building even registered an energy surplus in its first year of operation.

The road leading to this achievement was a very challenging one. Project planning was particularly extensive because it had to take into account the entire life cycle of the building, including all costs. Consideration was given to factors such as building quality, heat insulation and soundproofing, primary energy consumption and space efficiency. There were additional criteria which also had to be taken into account, namely its actual use, its environmental performance and building maintenance. It is now the workplace of 31 UBA staff whose research focusses on the topic of water.

Haus 2019 was the first Federal Government building which was planned and assessed according to the sustainable construction assessment scheme. The success of this project was made possible by the close cooperation of all parties involved. Said Maria Krautzberger: "A special 'thank you' goes to the architect Mr Braun (Büro BKL) and building services engineer Mr Nienaber (Schimmel Ingenieure) and to all our partners in the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning (BBR) and the associated Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR)." This successful cooperation has produced a building whose ecological structure will serve as a model for future federal office buildings.