Construction chaos around the House of Earth: costs explode to 400 million euros!

Construction chaos around the House of Earth: costs explode to 400 million euros!

The “House of the Earth” at the University of Hamburg, a project that is likely to go down in the annals of problematic building projects, has been dragging on like chewing gum for years. The new building for climate research and geosciences was originally supposed to be completed by 2016, but construction work was massively delayed due to planning errors, construction delays and ultimately serious water damage. The costs have since exploded and are now a whopping 373 million euros, far more than the originally estimated 177 million euros. This is what Welt reports.

The city of Hamburg is currently on hold until the final reports on the water damage are available. A financial nightmare is looming: the University of Hamburg must expect an increase in its annual rental costs from 11 million euros to 17 million euros. This increase is primarily caused by the skyrocketing construction costs, which even exceed 400 million euros. The handover of the building was originally planned for 2024, but this has now become a long way off.

Construction site psychodrama

The problems of the “House of Earth” are more far-reaching than feared. In the summer of 2024, water from the sprinkler system flooded the basement and caused massive damage. Reports from NDR speak of 1,900 square meters of removed flooring that have already been pry open. Including cleaning and disinfection, another 10,000 square meters of concrete area was added. The spread of fungi and bacteria is another dramatic consequence of water damage.

The lack of planning and resigned responses to the problems not only cast a shadow on the project, but also cut into the university's budgets and processes. Finance Senator Andreas Dressel has not yet published any concrete figures on the follow-up costs, but seems to emphasize more than ever the need to learn from these serious mistakes: “A building like this will not happen again,” he said.

Criticism of planning and cost efficiency

A ray of hope could come from the study by the Hertie School of Governance, which showed that the costs of major German construction projects increase by an average of 73 percent. In another 51 ongoing projects, the cost increase is already 41 percent. The causes are diverse: from planning deficits to poor project advice to a lack of control. This shows how important early and well-founded planning is (ARGE Baurecht).

The experiences with the “House of the Earth” could serve as a lesson for future new construction projects. Financial authorities and construction managers are called upon to ensure increased control and better coordination between the companies involved. The social and financial consequences of such breakdowns should not be underestimated.

When it comes to such complex construction projects, a good hand is often required, which the city of Hamburg has demonstrated more than clearly. A little more planning and less improvisation could ensure the success of such projects in the future.