Here are the highlights at digitalBAU 2024

After 2020 and 2022, digitalBAU—the trade fair for digital solutions in the construction industry—will take place for the third time in Cologne. From February 20 to 22, 2024, more than 250 exhibitors will present their products from the field of digital planning, construction and operation. In addition to the the exhibition area there will be an extensive supporting program comprising a forum and conference program, innovation parcours, and guided tours.

The third edition of digitalBAU will start in a few weeks. Leading companies such as ASSA ABLOY, Bechmann, BRZ, Hexagon, Hottgenroth, the NEMETSCHEK Group, and RIB are among the more than 250 exhibitors who will be presenting themselves in Halls 1 and 4.2 at the Cologne trade fair grounds. Shortly before the start of the trade fair, Exhibition Director Anja Gierstorfer is optimistic: “digitalBAU is benefiting from the tremendous speed of innovation in digitalization within the construction industry. For anyone who wants to find out about the future of construction, digitalBAU 2024 is an absolute must.”

Over 80 sessions in forums and conferences

In addition to the solutions and products in the exhibition area, visitors will have the opportunity to find out about the digital future of the construction industry in more detail in the accompanying forums and conference. The program will kick off with a discussion of the question “How do we get the construction industry going again?”

Ina Scharrenbach, Minister for Home Affairs, Municipal Affairs, Building and Digitization of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia will be among the participants. (Tuesday, February 20, 09:45 a.m., Forum Hall 1—powered by Bauverlag).

Other lectures and sessions include “Strategies on digitalization in the craft sector” (Tuesday, February 20, 11 a.m., Session Area, Hall 4.2), “The role of prefabrication in times of climate change” (Tuesday, February 20, 1 p.m., Forum Hall 1), “Topic morning with Mittelstand-Digital-Zentrum Bau” (Mittelstand-Digital Center Construction) (Wednesday, February 21, 9 a.m. to 12 noon, Session Forum, Hall 4.2), and “Digital tools for sustainable and circular construction” (Thursday, February 22, 12:30 p.m., Forum Hall 1).

Practical knowledge with innovation parcours, guided tours, and digitalLAB

The guided tours by World-Architects offer even more opportunities to gain practical knowledge at digitalBAU. On Wednesday, February 21, architects Carina Faustmann, Maximilian Jüngling, and Ralf Wetzel will give two tours of the halls. On the innovation parcours, organized in partnership with the Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum Handwerk (Mittelstand-Digital Center Skilled Crafts), visitors can experience digital tools live at ten themed stations. These include smart home technologies, IT security, robotics solutions, and an escape room experience. The digitalLAB (Tuesday, February 20, Hall 1) enables startups to introduce themselves to a trade audience and present their solutions

German Construction Award, “Built on IT”, and Founders Fight Night

Among the highlights of the supporting program are the award ceremonies in renowned competitions. The winners of this year’s German Construction Award will be announced on the first day of the fair (February 20) between 4 and 6 p.m. in Forum Hall 1. A day later, between 2 and 4 p.m. in the Session Area in Hall 4.2, “Built on IT” will honor construction professions with a future. At the Founders Fight Night, startups will compete against each other with their business ideas and innovations in front of an audience. Both the jury and the audience will decide on the winners. It will start at 4:30 p.m. on February 21 in the digitalLAB in Hall 1.