Director of VNW, Andreas Breitner, along with OB candidate Ulf Daude, inspect the housing project of Housing Cooperative Kiel-Ost.
The Association of North German Housing Companies (VNW) is inviting journalists to a construction site visit at Willy-Jacob-Weg 1a/1b in Kiel on Friday, August 8, 2025, from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. The visit will showcase the "simple construction method" that is being employed in the Kiel-East project, a new building that will offer 36 apartments.
The "simple construction method" is a cost-effective and efficient approach to construction that emphasizes the use of methods that reduce materials, labor, and time without compromising essential functions. This method contributes to affordable housing by lowering overall building costs, making housing units financially accessible to low- and middle-income residents.
The construction costs for the building are estimated to be around 9.96 million euros gross. By employing the "simple construction method," the project is able to save on costs, with the outer walls having a thickness of 17.5 centimeters, instead of the originally planned 24 centimeters. Balconies are so-called cantilever balconies, "bolted" to the facade, reducing ceiling thickness from 24 to 20 centimeters.
The Housing Cooperative Kiel-East eG is responsible for the construction of the new building. The apartments will range from two-room units of 48 to 62 square meters, eight three-room apartments, five four-room apartments, and the largest four-room apartments having around 105 square meters and a rooftop terrace.
Rents for the privately funded apartments will average 12.50 euros, with particularly comfortable apartments potentially reaching 14 euros. In contrast, the average net cold rent per square meter managed by the VNW is 6.74 euros.
The VNW manages 775,000 apartments where around two million people live. The association represents 467 housing cooperatives and housing companies in Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Schleswig-Holstein. The VNW is the association of landlords with values, committed to providing affordable housing solutions.
For more information about the construction site visit or the Kiel-East project, please contact Oliver Schirg at the Communications Department of VNW via phone: +49 40 52011 226, mobile: +49 151 6450 2897, or email: [email protected].
[1] Affordable Housing Innovations: 3D Printing in Affordable Homes [2] Affordable Housing: The Role of Simple Construction Methods
The use of the "simple construction method" in the Kiel-East project demonstrates how innovations in finance and investing can lead to more affordable housing solutions. By reducing costs, the project offers apartments that are financially accessible to low- and middle-income residents.
The implementation of this method, and the resulting savings on materials and labor, also allows for additional investments in other areas such as the size and amenities of the apartments, further contributing to the project's affordability. For instance, the larger four-room apartments have rooftop terraces, a feature not typically found in apartments of this price range.
