Reports

Landlord-to-tenant electricity supply systems have the potential to involve the target group of tenants in the energy transition. At the same time, they also offer enormous innovation-potential on the consumption side. For example, Landlord-to-tenant electricity supply projects in combination with a neighbourhood storage system can decouple power generation and consumption over time and thus provide system-services. There is also great potential for sector coupling, for example through power-to-heat technologies or e-mobility. In this report, different technology options are analysed by...

The project Data Governance and Regulation for a Sustainable Berlin, over a period of 18 months, has examined a range of conceptual, theoretical and policy-related issues regarding the social and ecological implications of data regulation. The project`s objective was to provide a robust assessment of the sustainability implications of regulatory proposals and governance configurations related to the data economy, to clarify normative trade-offs, and to provide principles or guidelines to justify policy decisions under the conditions of potential trade-offs. This paper describes prominent...

In the first part of the research project, we developed theoretical fundamentals for ideal-typical regulatory scenarios and normative data principles (Franke, 2021; Gailhofer & Franke, 2021) as well as a methodology for scenario-based analysis (Kollosche et al., 2022). Results of scenarios in this background paper show an assessment of different regulatory data approaches in the building and infrastructure sector for Berlin. Further background papers with a similar methodology were prepared by the project team for the application fields mobility in Berlin (Thomas & Kollosche, 2022), health...

There is no system which is currently subject to greater dynamics of change than the mobility system. Two main drivers are responsible for the high dynamics and quality of change: digitalisation and the imperative of sustainability. Digitalisation opens up completely new mobility services, business models and opportunities for mobility management. At the same time, these new services offer potential for sustainable transport development. In Berlin, the Jelbi project is not only the largest model in Europe for the implementation of a Mobility as a Service (MaaS) concept, but the city has also...

Digitalisation is likely to play an essential role in facilitating the transition to a circular economy. One relevant technological approach is the so-called digital product passport, which provides information about a product that is relevant to its entire lifecycle. This information enables more informed decision-making for those purchasing a product and enables greater repair and re-use as well as proper disposal. Generally, the digital product passport is conceived as a relatively static repository of information about a product type, meaning it does not capture any information about the...

Digitization has great socio-ecological potential in the healthcare sector. The processing of health data can lead to an improved information and decision-making basis and thus promote public health. Furthermore, citizens can be empowered to manage their own health data in a data-sovereign manner and to make it available for the common good by "donating" data. However, there are risks to be considered. For example, data-sovereign decisions must made be possible in actuality and for everyone, and personality-related risks are particularly relevant in the area of sensitive health data.

This...

Data plays an important role in realizing the socio-ecological potential of digitalization and in overcoming its environmental and sustainability challenges. However, so far, it remains rather vague how data regulation needs to be designed to support using data for the common good and to support sustainable development. Thus, so far, the steering options and potentials that data regulation could offer for sustainable development have not been sufficiently explored. One reason for this, is that a methodological approach for such an assessment is currently lacking.

The Ecornet-project on...

This working paper develops a conceptual basis for exploring options for sustainable data governance for Berlin in the Ecornet project "Data governance and regulation for a sustainable Berlin". Issues regarding the adequate framework for the governance of data - the rules governing the practices or procedures that determine who can use data, in what way and for what purposes - have been discussed for some time in a broad variety of contexts. Important legal determinations for such rules will be made in the very near future in many places. The regulation of the data economy is frequently seen...

The state of Berlin and the federal government have set themselves ambitious goals for the expansion of photovoltaics (PV) by 2030. These goals can only be achieved if all market segments quickly start to grow and keep on growing, including the segment of PV plants on multi-story buildings. The present study examines current proposals for the further development of this segment and analyes the solutions used in Spain, the Netherlands and Austria. It shows that the two central goals – accelerating the PV expansion and involving residents – are in tension with each other, at least in the short...

For the study presented here on interesting examples and experiences of Circular Cities in Europe, the capitals Amsterdam, London and Copenhagen were selected. The city administrations and stakeholders there have many years of experience and knowledge about setting up structures and processes for a circular economy in various material sectors. Three particularly important sectors were examined in detail for the case studies: electronics, textiles and the construction sector, as they are characterized by high relevance.

The objective of this report is to provide an overview of the interlinkages between the renovation of school buildings and the climate and energy targets adopted for public buildings in Berlin. The report uses an analysis grid to systematically identify these interlinkages. The report focuses on the Berlin School Construction Offensive, “Berliner Schulbauoffensive” (BSO), which is a concerted effort among several administrations, districts and specialised agencies to coordinate and accelerate the renovation and construction of school buildings.

By applying an analysis grid, the report...

Berlin has set itself ambitious climate targets. In this context, social aspects of the heat transition in Berlin have become an increasingly important issue in view of the scarcity of housing, rising rents and very different housing costs for households. Particularly low-income households suffer from high housing costs. Often, they already take up a large portion of their income. An increase in rental costs or energy costs carries the danger that households can no longer afford their housing or pay their heating and electricity costs. In order to make climate protection socially acceptable...

Alternative economies are an essential part of Berlin's socioeconomic landscape and integral to the social and ecological transformation of the metropolis. Yet, there has been a widespread lack of understanding of businesses that operate differently in terms of their social mission, alternative organization and specific needs.

This final report of the project “Alternative Economies in and for Berlin” should be understood as a first step to change this. For this purpose, the project team talked to experts from practice, politics and administration over the period of one and a half years...

As part of the CiBER project "Circular City Berlin – Pathways from Potential to Implementation", a transformation roadmap for circular electrical and electronic appliances was developed. It displays how the idea of Circular City Berlin can be advanced in the area of electrical and electronic equipment. The goal of a greenhouse gas-neutral and resource-productive Circular Economy requires a significantly higher level of ambition in Berlin, Germany and the EU compared to current efforts. To achieve this, three strategies need to be pursued: (1.) the initiation of model projects for a Circular...

Innovation towards circular construction in Berlin is characterised by a variety of different actors who are pursuing projects, business models and practices that can be used to strengthen the circular economy, resource conservation and cli-mate protection along the life cycle of building projects. The spectrum ranges from modular building designs to the re-use of entire buildings or building components to the high-quality recycling of building materials for further use. At the same time, several barriers hamper the diffusion of circular construction approaches, e.g., lacking demand for...

In order to achieve climate policy goals in the building sector, not only a transition of heating systems to renewable energies but also comprehensive energy refurbishments to reduce the heating demand are necessary. This involves a high investment requirement, which must initially be covered by the landlords. Tenants face challenges due to the resulting rent increases as a consequence of the modernisation allocation.

Due to the already tense situation on the Berlin housing market, the question arises as to whether and under what conditions energy-efficient refurbishments can be carried out...

This study is part of the project "Circular City Berlin - Pathways from Potential to Implementation", which investigates the potential of a circular economy in Berlin and its social and environmental impacts in three sectors: textiles, construction, and information and communication technology (ICT). The project explores possible pathways to implementation, and supports a diffusion of possible business models. 

In addition to the amounts of waste avoided, the calculations show the potential of the circular economy to help address the climate crisis by reducing the overall material: with the...

Data-driven innovations have enormous potential to make the existing economic and social order more just and environmentally sustainable. However, the past two decades have shown that such potential by no means materializes automatically. Rather, public interest-oriented management of data use is a complex political task that must take various interests and goals into account. This challenge also and particularly arises in a modern metropolis like Berlin. The formulation of principles for a social-ecological use of data can provide orientation and sharpen the view for conflicts of goals and...

This background paper for the research project “Digitalisation – Setting the Course for a Social-Ecological Digital Transformation in Berlin” within the project “Knowledge. Change. Berlin” provides an overview of the sustainability and digi-talisation goals of the state of Berlin. First, the paper outlines sustainability goals relevant for the project in the following topic areas: data governance, climate protection, transport and mobility, energy and health.

The paper then examines Berlin’s digitalisation goals. At the end of 2018, the state of Berlin decided to develop a digitalisation...

Focusing on the area of textiles, this report examines initiatives and business models that can contribute to the development of a next-generation circular economy in Berlin. In addition to the potentials that actors are already implementing, the paper describes existing political and legal framework conditions and highlights perspectives for innovations. The mapping of initiatives for circular textiles shows that a diverse innovation landscape has emerged in Berlin.

There are numerous start-ups in the areas of sharing, secondhand platforms, recommerce and upcycling as well as sustainable...

Focusing on the area of electrical and electronic equipment, this report examines initiatives and business models that can contribute to the development of a next-generation circular economy in Berlin. In addition to the potentials that actors are already implementing, governance approaches for innovations of "circular electronics" in Berlin will be highlighted. The next-generation circular economy is about innovations in product design and product use systems. Four basic practices can be distinguished:

1. life cycle designing (re-design of products and services),
2. extension of the lifetime...

The innovation field of construction is a resource-relevant field in Berlin – in 2017, the construction sector accounted for about 22 percent of the raw material input of the state of Berlin. Currently, the recycling rate for mineral construction waste is around 50 percent, and is expected to increase to more than 60 percent by 2030. Circular economy approaches in the field of construction have to cover the entire life cycle: from the design of durable and deconstructable structures to the use phase and material-preserving re-use to circular business models.

Against this background, this...

As part of the CiBER project "Circular City Berlin - pathways from potential to implementation", initiatives and business models are being investigated that can con-tribute to the development of a next-generation circular economy in Berlin. The special focus is on the areas of construction, electronics and textiles. The next-generation circular economy is about innovations in product design and product use systems. There are four basic practices:

1. life cycle design (re-design of products in connection with waste-avoiding services)
2. extension of the useful life of products (re-use, repair...

Berlin tenant electricity systems have positive ecological and socio-economic effects, but these remain relatively low compared to the technically available potential. At the end of 2020, 74 PV tenant electricity projects with a capacity of 12.6 MWp were in operation in Berlin, the CO2 savings amount to around 4,100 t CO2 per year. This means that less than 1% of the potential is used. The survey carried out in the project shows that tenant electricity is rated positively. Especially for households with low incomes, the low price is the most important reason for tenant electricity. Scheme...