Sustainability
in urban development

IBA Hamburg GmbH / www.luftbilder.de

Sustainability is about much more than climate protection. For IBA Hamburg, sustainable urban development means considering environmental, social and economic objectives together right from the start. After all, liveable districts are created where people enjoy living, working and spending their leisure time, without compromising the opportunities of future generations. The three dimensions of sustainability therefore form the basis for the development of all IBA Hamburg neighbourhoods. In doing so, IBA Hamburg takes a holistic approach: housing, work, mobility, open spaces, energy supply, climate resilience and social infrastructure are not considered in isolation, but as closely interlinked building blocks of sustainable urban development.

56 %
of their disposable household income spend alone living students on accommodation costs (Source: Federal Statistical Office, 2026)
38
is the number of nature reserves in Hamburg.
About 60 %
of Germany's total electricity production comes from renewable energy sources. (Source: Destatis)
45.5 %
of all children under the age of three in Hamburg attend a childcare centre (as of 2026, source: Northern Statistical Office)

Environmental sustainability

means using resources responsibly and making neighbourhoods fit for the future. This includes climate-friendly energy supply systems based on renewable energy, sustainable transport options, resource-efficient building materials, and measures to adapt to the consequences of climate change. Green spaces, parks, trees and water features help to reduce heat, retain rainwater and enhance biodiversity. At the same time, IBA Hamburg is committed to development that makes the most efficient use of land, enables mixed-use development and reduces the consumption of natural resources.

Social sustainability

puts people at the heart of things. A neighbourhood should be there for everyone, regardless of age, background, life circumstances or income. Therefore affordable housing, accessible facilities, a variety of housing options, good education and childcare provision, as well as spaces for socialising, culture, sport and leisure, are all part of sustainable urban development. The aim is to create neighbourhoods that foster diversity, encourage participation and support harmonious coexistence. This also means that social infrastructure – such as schools, nurseries, healthcare services and neighbourhood centres – is factored into the planning right from the start.

Economic sustainability

ensures that neighbourhoods continue to function effectively in the long term. This includes affordable housing, flexible buildings and spaces, stable economic development and the strengthening of regional value creation. Short commutes between home and work, vibrant ground-floor areas, and space for trades, services and local businesses not only create jobs but also enhance a neighbourhood’s appeal and resilience. Sustainable investment and adaptable structures ensure that neighbourhoods remain viable in the long term and are able to respond to social changes.

It is only through the interplay of these three dimensions that sustainable urban development becomes possible. When the environment, society and the economy are in balance, neighbourhoods emerge that are not only appealing today, but will remain liveable, resilient and adaptable tomorrow. We as IBA Hamburg therefore view sustainability as a triad that underpins all planning and development processes and form the basis for future-proof neighbourhoods.

Examples of sustainable measures

Staying in the neighbourhood

To ensure that people can continue to live in their familiar surroundings as they grow older, staying in the neighbourhood plays a central role in urban development. This includes accessible housing and a living environment that caters for growing needs for support, care and assistance. This is complemented by care and support services, communal spaces and neighbourhood activities. In general, social infrastructure services are spread throughout the neighbourhood and are within easy reach.
Strategies for tree preservation

IBA Hamburg is committed to preserving as many existing trees as possible in all new neighbourhood planning (regardless of new plantings). In Wilhelmsburg, around 2,170 existing trees have been successfully integrated into the planning. The existing trees are already secured by IBA Hamburg in the concept tender when the plots are awarded. An innovative method of explosive ordnance detection was found for the former barracks site in Fischbeker Heidbrook, enabling almost the entire old tree population to be preserved. Even during the construction work, safeguards for existing trees are mandatory so that they are not affected by the construction site operations. Further information can also be found on the Open Space page.
Sport and exercise for all

Oberbillwerder is set to become a model neighbourhood for the Active City initiative. In this context, sport and exercise will play a central role in the new neighbourhood. The initiatives range from exercise programmes in public spaces, through institutional and organised sport, to experimental and temporary schemes.
Mobility concepts

A well-thought-out mobility concept such as the one shown above for Oberbillwerder should also contribute to reducing CO2 emissions in the neighbourhood. Early expansion of public transport services, good cycling infrastructure (parking spaces, rental services, cycle highways, cycle paths in the neighbourhood), car-sharing services (including on the outskirts of the city, for example), attractive and efficient pedestrian routes and short distances within the neighbourhood, charging stations for e-mobility – all this and more should convince future residents to give up their own cars as often as possible or even completely. Further information on this can also be found on the Mobility page.
Energy standards and resource-saving materials

Through concept tenders for the allocation of land, IBA Hamburg can establish important requirements for climate and resource protection. Whether private builders or professional investors, anyone wishing to build in one of the project areas must meet at least the KfW 55 energy standard. As part of the allocation process, higher energy standards (e.g. KfW Efficiency House 40, IFB Passive House, and others) are generally awarded higher scores. The implementation of particularly resource-efficient construction methods (e.g. timber construction or the use of sustainable materials) will also be given a higher rating or specified in the tender. In this way, IBA Hamburg aims to promote the sustainable development of the neighbourhood.
Affordable housing

Affordable housing is a key prerequisite for a liveable and equitable city. That is why IBA Hamburg aims, within its project areas, to create around 50 per cent subsidised housing units and to provide housing for almost all sections of the population – from families, older people and students to people on low incomes or with disabilities.
Making a contribution with near-surface drainage

Another pioneering initiative in rainwater management is the RegenInfraStrukturAnpassung RISA (Rainwater InfraStructure Adaptation) project, launched in 2009 by the Ministry of Urban Development and Environment in collaboration with HAMBURG WASSER (local drinking water supplier). Fischbeker Heidbrook is one of the first RISA projects. Sustainable rainwater management is being implemented here in concrete terms by not draining rainwater immediately into pipes, as is traditionally done, but instead allowing it to seep away, drain openly and close to the surface, or be retained in hollows and ditches where it evaporates or is drained away more slowly. All builders in the neighbourhood have committed to this form of drainage when purchasing their land. This localised water storage thus benefits nature and resource conservation while also enhancing the aesthetic qualities of the area.
Green roofs for a better urban climate

Together with the City of Hamburg, IBA Hamburg is striving to achieve a high proportion of green roofs in its neighbourhoods, which is already being stipulated in the development plans. For example, around 50% of roofs in the Spreehafenviertel, Elbinselquartier and Wilhelmburger Rathausviertel neighbourhoods are planned to be green roofs. Green roofs have many advantages: they improve the urban climate in the neighbourhood, help to save energy costs for heating or air conditioning, bind pollutants and provide space for animals and insects, to name just a few examples. In addition, a green roof also helps to improve drainage in the neighbourhood by retaining rainwater, which then evaporates naturally from the roofs. However, the neighbourhoods of IBA Hamburg are not only to have green roofs, but also green facades in order to promote biodiversity and a good urban climate here as well.

‘Cities, which account for only three to four per cent of the Earth's land area, consume at least 80 per cent of the world's resources. Efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and switch to renewable energies must therefore be concentrated in cities.’

IBA publication series; Metropolis: Resources

International Building Exhibition IBA Hamburg 2006 to 2013 – Main theme: Cities in Climate Change

How can growth and sustainability be combined? CITIES IN CLIMATE CHANGE was one of three central themes of the International Building Exhibition IBA Hamburg and was intended to answer the big question of a climate-friendly future for the metropolis. Flagship projects such as the Energy Bunker and the Energy Mountain, as well as innovative ideas such as the BIQ algae house, emerged from this laboratory. Strategies for sustainable energy supply for entire neighbourhoods were also developed. Visit the International Building Exhibition archive to learn more about the projects.