Material cycles and the reuse of components

The 6th Sustainability Networking Meeting, held on 18 June 2026, attracted a great deal of interest. It was organised for the first time as a joint event by the Saxony Chamber of Engineers and HTWK Leipzig, and took place at the university. The focus was on the topic of ‘material cycles and the reuse of building components’ – a key element of sustainable and resource-efficient construction.

Following a welcome address by the Dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering at HTWK Leipzig, Prof. Lutz Nietner, and Chamber President Dr.-Ing. Hans-Jörg Temann, a series of keynote presentations provided insights into current developments and practical experiences. The speakers highlighted pathways towards a functioning circular economy, the importance of building diagnostics for the reuse of building materials and components, and specific experiences with the use of reused timber components in building construction. 
The event was chaired by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Björn Höhlig, Chair of the Sustainability Committee of the Saxony Chamber of Engineers.

One example of an outcome from the subsequent get-together: one of the students present cited her participation in the Junior.ING school competition as a key factor in her decision to study civil engineering.

“The sustainability networking event at the HTWK in collaboration with the Saxony Chamber of Engineers has shown just how important it is to bring students together with experts from the field. Innovative approaches – of which there are many in Leipzig relating to material cycles – were thus discussed in direct dialogue, enabling ideas for the future to be gathered,” emphasises Prof. Dr.-Ing. Björn Höhlig.