Conversion of buildings: load reserves through change of load assumptions/Umnutzung von Gebäuden: Tragreserven durch Änderung der Lastannahmen

In the context of current megatrends such as digitalization, the transport revolution and changes in religiosity, there are significant challenges and opportunities for the reuse of existing building structures. In particular, obsolete building types from the late modern and postmodern periods, dating from the 1960s onwards, have been little researched in terms of their potential for reuse. In addition to architectural and urban planning aspects, the load reserves of the supporting structures play a significant role in the complexity of interventions in existing buildings. These result mainly from changed load assumptions due to a change in use or changed external load effects such as wind, snow, and earthquakes. An increase in load or a significant intervention in the supporting structure invalidates the existing building rights and verification in accordance with currently applicable regulations is required. The analysis shows that some conversions make more sense from a structural point of view, while others are more complex to realize also depending on their location within Germany. The results underline the importance of considering the specific location when planning and implementing transformation projects.