Moringa wins German award for sustainability projects
Moringa GmbH has won the German Award for Sustainability Projects 2022. The company received the award in the "Project – Construction/Architecture" category for its Moringa Hamburg HafenCity project development. The award is presented by the German Institute for Service Quality, the news channel ntv, and DUP Unternehmer Magazin, and recognizes particularly sustainable commitment by companies and organizations in various fields.
The award recognized projects from all sectors of the economy that implement sustainability in an exemplary manner. "One of the aims of the award is to highlight sustainable commitment at all levels. However, it is also intended to inspire other companies and institutions to launch their own sustainable projects," said patron Brigitte Zypries. The former Federal Minister of Justice and Federal Minister of Economics is a member of the high-caliber jury, which also includes Prof. Dr. Claudia Kemfert from the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), Prof. Gernot Klepper from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), and Dr. Olivia Henke, Executive Director of the Allianz Foundation for Development and Climate. The jury's evaluation was based on the focus areas of efficiency and benefits, innovation, relevance to the company's core business and industry, and topicality.
"The construction and real estate industry is forced to act, especially since we are the main cause of our environmental problems," said Vanja Schneider, Managing Director of Moringa GmbH, who accepted the award from ntv presenters Carola Ferstl and Torsten Knippertz. "With our projects, we want to show that the consistent application of the circular economy principle is the right answer for us and our climate goals." His fellow managing director Jochen Hermanns added: "We are therefore very honored that Moringa GmbH's commitment and pioneering role have been recognized with such a prestigious national award. We see it as our mission to develop more buildings like this."
Located directly on the waterfront at Baakenhafen, Moringa is currently developing Germany's first green residential high-rise building using a hybrid timber construction method based on the cradle-to-cradle principle. What makes this project special is the unique combination of ecological construction based on the circular economy principle and the creation of affordable living space. Approximately 75 percent of the construction and furnishing materials (KGR 300, DIN 276) can be easily dismantled, sorted by type, and reused. This intensive recyclability is unmatched to date. In total, this building saves around 400 tons of CO2 every year, which is equivalent to 2.4 million kilometers driven by car annually. All 192 residential units in the project are rental apartments, 83 of which are publicly subsidized. This even exceeds the legally prescribed quota of 33%. Not least because of the combination of climate-friendly construction and affordable living space, this project is considered a trendsetter for the industry.
The Moringa Ensemble in Hamburg will offer almost everything that modern cities need for their citizens on approximately 19,100 square meters of gross floor area: In addition to affordable, high-quality housing, these include communal areas, a modern co-living concept with 52 shared apartments, co-working, dining options, and a daycare center for families in the building and the neighborhood. Built with healthy materials and largely recycled or recyclable and demountable components, Moringa will offer more green space on its roofs and facades than the built-up property has square meters. In addition to the social and ecological impact for Hamburg, the added value also lies in the pioneering role of the project. Moringa was also honored because it serves as a role model for others and accelerates the long-overdue transformation of the construction industry toward the circular economy principle.
Other award winners include the technology group Beko Grundig for a washing machine with a microplastic filter and a Commerzbank fund that invests primarily in ecologically sustainable assets.
