What Bauhaus Earth does

Bauhaus Earth is a German non-profit think-and-make tank founded in 2021, headquartered in Berlin and Potsdam, that develops science-based solutions for regenerative construction. The organisation operates across five flagship expertise areas: Systems Research and Data Analytics, Technical and Material Innovation, Demonstrators and Transformation Labs, Policy and Action Advisory, and Education and Learning. Its core technology portfolio centres on unfired compressed earth blocks (CEBs) produced from regional excavation soil without hydraulic binders, timber-earth hybrid floor systems (including the patented Hourdis and Capsule floor plates), hemp composite blocks, and methodologies for reusing concrete foundations. Demonstrated outcomes include up to 95% CO2 reduction potential versus fossil-based construction (Bodendreieck project) and a verified 77.1% reduction in material-related greenhouse gas emissions across the HLH project's five regenerative building components in Berlin-Weißensee.

The organisation operates a 325 m² Research Workshop at Atelier Gardens Berlin and the ProtoPotsdam research pavilion in Potsdam as permanent demonstration and prototyping infrastructure. Its revenue model is grant-driven: primary funding comes from government ministries (BMUKN, DBU, Investitionsbank Berlin, Berlin Senate Department for Economic Affairs, MWFK Brandenburg), supplemented by foundation grants (Hilti Foundation) and industry partnership engagements with construction firms (B&O Bau), architects (sauerbruch hutton), and material manufacturers (August Lücking, Finsa, Xilonor). Customer segments span government and policymakers, construction industry and material manufacturers, academic and research institutions, municipalities, and civil society. Active case study regions extend across Germany, South Africa, Indonesia, and Bhutan. The Experimental Fellowship, co-led with the Experimental Foundation, attracts emerging architectural talent globally to co-develop regenerative prototypes.

Bauhaus Earth holds a dense partner ecosystem of over 60 trusted organisations including FAO, Yale, TU Berlin, European Forest Institute, Built by Nature, and national ministries, and co-developed the Principles for Responsible Timber Construction (2025) and the flagship FAO report 'Timber Adoption at Scale' (2025). It does not sell commercial products; its activities are funded through research grants, institutional donations, and partnership engagements, with all intellectual outputs—including peer-reviewed publications, material guides, and certified building components—published openly.

Name

Bauhaus Earth

Legal name

Bauhaus Earth

Website

https://bauhauserde.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bauhaus Earth is a German non-profit think-and-make tank developing science-based regenerative construction solutions using earth, timber, hemp, and bamboo. It serves governments, construction firms, material manufacturers, and academia through research, demonstration projects, policy advisory, and fellowships across Germany, South Africa, Indonesia, and Bhutan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regenerative Construction Research and Sustainable Building Materials

NAICS

Nonresidential Building Construction (2362), Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (236220), Prefabricated Wood Building Manufacturing (321992)

SIC

Prefabricated Wood Bldgs & Components (2452), Millwood, Veneer, Plywood, & Structural Wood Members (2430), General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Green / High-Performance Home Construction (Net-Zero, Passive House) (IMAFABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regenerative Agriculture & Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) (EUABABAE), Agroforestry & Perennial Cropping Systems (EUABABAD)

Keywords

• Regenerative construction research
• Bio-based building materials
• Compressed earth blocks
• Timber-earth hybrid systems
• Sustainable built environment

Headquarters

HQ city

Potsdam

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Research Grants: Primary funding from government ministries and public institutions, notably the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN), which funded the ReBuilt project (2023–2025). Additional grants from Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU), Berlin Senate Department for Economic Affairs, and Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB) for specific research projects.
2. Industry Partnership Engagements: Collaborative R&D with construction companies (B&O Bau und Gebäudetechnik), architects (sauerbruch hutton), and material manufacturers (August Lücking, Finsa, Xilonor) who co-fund demonstration projects in exchange for research insights, prototyping, and technical evaluation.
3. Fellowship Programme Funding: The Experimental Fellowship with Bauhaus Earth provides financial support to emerging practitioners (monthly stipend plus project expenses up to €30,000), funded through collaboration with Experimental Foundation and other donors, supporting co-development of regenerative building prototypes.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Bauhaus Earth is a non-profit think-and-make tank that conducts research, develops, and demonstrates regenerative building materials and construction systems (including compressed earth blocks, timber-earth hybrid floor systems, and hemp composites) for the built environment. Its work spans fundamental research, material prototyping, full-scale demonstration buildings, policy advisory, and education programmes, with prototype products developed through its Berlin Research Workshop and showcased in real-world projects such as ProtoPotsdam, the Holz-Lehm-Hybrid building, and international initiatives in Indonesia, Bhutan, and South Africa.

Product overview

Bauhaus Earth operates as a think-and-make tank offering science-based solutions for regenerative construction. The portfolio centers on four main product families: Compressed Earth Blocks (Urban Earth), Timber-Earth Hybrid Floor Systems (Hourdis and Capsule), and Hemp-Earth Composite Blocks. These are developed through the Berlin-based Research Workshop and demonstrated via real-world projects including ProtoPotsdam, the Holz-Lehm-Hybrid (HLH) building in Berlin-Weissensee, and international projects in Indonesia (BAMBU BARU) and Bhutan. Beyond products, Bauhaus Earth provides R&D and prototyping services, guided tours, education programs, and policy advisory services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ReBuilt: Research initiative examining regenerative construction practices globally across four city-regions with case studies in Berlin-Brandenburg, Cape Town, Bali, and Bhutan.
• Experimental Fellowship with Bauhaus Earth

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduction of material-related greenhouse gas emissions by up to 95% through earth block substitution of fossil-based construction materials
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

48 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Built by NaturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2025Bauhaus Earth collaborated with Built by Nature and the Forest and Climate Leaders Partnership to develop the Principles for Responsible Timber Construction, establishing a global framework for sustainable timber construction. This framework underpins Built by Nature's 2025 global Prize celebrating exemplary timber construction projects.
• Forest and Climate Leaders PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Built by Nature and Bauhaus Earth in developing the Principles for Responsible Timber Construction, a global framework to advance responsible timber use in construction.
• Base Bahay Foundation (BBF)coreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary technology partner for the BAMBU BARU project in Indonesia, bringing Cement-Bamboo Frame Technology (CBFT) and established network in the country for large-scale adoption of bamboo building products for flexible unit configurations in public and private construction.
• Earthbound (eb.eco)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology and development partner for the Bodendreieck (Earth Triangle) project, collaborating on transforming mineral construction excavation into high-performance, load-bearing earth blocks at industrial scale.
• B&O Bau und GebäudetechnikcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClient, developer, and contractor for the Holz-Lehm-Hybrid (HLH) project in Berlin-Weißensee. B&O is a radical innovator in climate-friendly construction and co-developed five regenerative building components including a patented timber-earth hybrid floor system.
• sauerbruch huttoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm for the HLH project, responsible for design of the office building redevelopment in Berlin-Weißensee that showcases regenerative construction techniques.
• August Lücking (brick manufacturer)coreTechnology or IntegrationBrick manufacturer that collaborated with Bauhaus Earth and B&O to develop a specialised extrusion piece enabling industrial manufacture of earth blocks within existing production infrastructure, a key innovation for scaling load-bearing earth masonry.
• Industrieverband Lehmbaustoffe e.V.majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation representing manufacturers of earth-based building materials; consortium partner in the HLH project advocating for integration of earth construction into regional industrial production and regulatory frameworks.
• Landesbeirat Holz Berlin-BrandenburgmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-regional interdisciplinary network committed to promoting sustainable use of domestic timber in Berlin-Brandenburg; consortium partner in the HLH project.
• FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-authored the flagship report 'Timber Adoption at Scale' with FAO, providing comprehensive analysis of timber use in construction globally and establishing Bauhaus Earth as a leading voice in sustainable construction policy.
• IAAC (Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developed the Mass is More spatial installation in the Barcelona Pavilion with Bauhaus Earth, investigating advanced timber construction technologies and carbon sequestration in the built environment.
• European Forest Institute (EFI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganiser of European Forest City 2022 in Barcelona where Mass is More was exhibited; co-presenter of the Barcelona Protocol European Action Plan.
• FinsamajorTechnology or IntegrationGalician timber company that produced the cross laminated timber (CLT) panels for the Mass is More exhibition at the Barcelona Pavilion.
• XilonormajorTechnology or IntegrationGalician timber company involved in producing timber elements for the Mass is More exhibition.
• Experimental (Experimental Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBerlin-based non-profit organisation founded by Prof. Regine Leibinger that co-leads the Experimental Fellowship with Bauhaus Earth, providing financial and organisational support to emerging talents for experimental architectural projects.
• TU Berlin (Natural Building Lab)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch consortium partner for ProtoPotsdam, led by Prof. Eike Roswag-Klinge, generating knowledge and prototypes for the built environment in a post-fossil society.
• TU Berlin (Habitat Unit)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch consortium partner for ProtoPotsdam, led by Prof. Dr. Philipp Misselwitz, developing new approaches and tools for global urbanisation and transformation processes.
• TU Berlin (Kreislaufwirtschaft und Recyclingtechnologie)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch consortium partner for ProtoPotsdam, led by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Vera Susanne Rotter, quantifying and characterising resource flows and developing circular technologies.
• TU Berlin (Stadtökologie)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch consortium partner for ProtoPotsdam, led by Prof. Dr. Galina Churkina, identifying and developing sustainable pathways for urban development.
• HNE Eberswalde (Fachbereich für Wald und Umwelt)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch consortium partner for ProtoPotsdam, teaching and researching on forest ecology and management with global environmental significance.
• HNE Eberswalde (Fachbereich Holzingenieurwesen)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch consortium partner for ProtoPotsdam, teaching fundamentals and specialisations in timber engineering.
• FH Potsdam (Fachbereich Bauingenieurwesen)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch consortium partner for ProtoPotsdam, educating civil engineers with focus on building preservation and renovation.
• Bundesstiftung BauakademiemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the ReBuilt project and participant in the BAUENDE ALLIANZ (Regenerative Building Alliance), contributing to advancing regenerative construction in Germany.
• African Centre for Cities (ACC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the ReBuilt project, leading the Cape Town case study on transitioning towards a regenerative built environment.
• Kota Kita FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the ReBuilt project, co-authoring the Bali Roots & Roofs playbook for regenerative building practices and supporting the Denpasar case study.
• Bamboo Village Trust (BVT)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the ReBuilt project contributing to the bamboo and regenerative construction case study in Indonesia.
• Dark Matter LabsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the ReBuilt project contributing strategic and systems thinking to regenerative built environment transformation.
• Ministry of Industry and Tourism (MoIT) BhutanmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner supporting the Bhutan case study (Paro-Thimphu) in the ReBuilt project for regenerative construction with local materials.
• 414filmsminorOthersFilm production company documenting ProtoPotsdam and other Bauhaus Earth projects through documentary films, including 'Die Zukunft baut Zirkulär'.
• Wuppertal InstitutmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed among trusted partners; Wuppertal Institut is a leading research institute on climate, environment, and resources, aligned with Bauhaus Earth's mission on sustainable built environment transformation.
• Yale Urban Design WorkshopmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed among trusted partners; Yale School of Architecture collaborates with Bauhaus Earth on research workshops, student prototyping (earth-timber hybrid floor), and knowledge exchange.
• toMOORowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organisation collaborating on peatland (Moore) protection and paludiculture research, exploring synergies between wetland restoration and regenerative building materials.
• Climate AdvisersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed among trusted partners; organisation focused on climate policy and action, aligned with Bauhaus Earth's policy advisory work.
• Circular ValleyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed among trusted partners; initiative focused on circular economy in the construction and value chain sector.
• Biobased CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed among trusted partners; collective focused on bio-based materials in construction.
• Project Together (ProjektTogether / Open-Bauhaus)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed among trusted partners; initiative supporting collaborative transformation projects in architecture and the built environment.
• TU Berlin (Architektur und Entwerfen / Architecture of Transformation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed among trusted partners; TU Berlin chair focused on transformative approaches to architecture and urban design.
• KIS Potsdam (Kommunaler Immobilien Service)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for the KIS Potsdam project on Zukunftsfähige Kommunalbauten (future-proof municipal buildings), supporting transformation of public buildings.
• Prof. Regine Leibinger (Experimental Founder / Barkow Leibinger)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounder of Experimental Foundation and partner in the Experimental Fellowship programme; also architect at Barkow Leibinger, bringing architectural leadership and network to the fellowship.
• KIT / MaterialbibliothekminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed among trusted partners; Material Library at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology providing material research support.
• CAVE UrbanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed among trusted partners; architecture organisation focused on sustainable and vernacular building practices.
• Material CulturesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Experimental Fellow (2022), exploring paludiculture and peatland rewetting for regional bio-based building materials in Berlin-Brandenburg through the Constructive Land project.
• Baukreisel e.V.majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecond Experimental Fellow (early 2023), investigating scaling up reuse of deconstructed primary concrete elements in building transformation through the concrete.matters project.
• Kevin KimwelleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFourth Experimental Fellow (2024) from South Africa, bringing design-build expertise in reused and recycled materials to Berlin through the 90% plus project.
• Heidi Jalkh and Angie Dub (CONQ)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFifth Experimental Fellows (2024), focusing on marine biobased materials (bioceramic from shellfish industry waste) in the built environment in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• Anna Pomazanna and Mykhailo Shevchenko (Grunt)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSixth Experimental Fellows (2025), investigating regenerative reconstruction using earth sourced from contaminated soils (industrial, agricultural, wartime) with focus on Ukraine.
• Maria Lisogorskaya and Kaye Song (Earth, Lightly)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFifth Experimental Fellows (2025), exploring new approaches to forms of regenerative architecture through physical and emotional relationships with earth-based materials.
• Ha Nguyen and Hojung Kim (Situated Regionalism)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeventh Experimental Fellows (2025–2026), exploring unfired earth bricks across Vietnam and developing a digital soil atlas of Vietnam's ecological zones.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• BC Materials: Belgian non-profit developing earth-based building materials (rammed earth, unfired blocks) from local excavated soil. Directly comparable as a research-to-product earth construction organization with similar mission and grant-funded model.
• EcoCocon: European manufacturer of straw bale wall systems for sustainable buildings, using natural materials for high-performance construction. Comparable as a producer of certified natural-material building components addressing the same low-carbon construction market.
• Modreno: Germany-based low-carbon construction startup building eco-friendly houses in serial production using sustainable timber systems. Listed as a Bauhaus Earth partner and operates in the same German regenerative-construction category.
• Material Cultures: UK-based regenerative architecture practice working on earth-based, bio-based, and reclaimed materials, and the first Experimental Fellow of Bauhaus Earth. Highly comparable in approach, scale, and regenerative material focus.

Emerging players

• Mykor: UK-based startup producing mycelium-based insulation and bio-based building materials as alternatives to conventional insulation. Comparable as an emerging bio-based construction materials player addressing the same embodied-carbon problem from a different material angle.
• CAVE Urban: Berlin-based architecture organization working on sustainable and vernacular building practices using earth, bamboo, and natural materials. Comparable as a practitioner organization focused on regenerative materials and experimental architecture.

Others

• Dark Matter Labs: UK/US-based impact organization designing new systems for a regenerative future, partner in Bauhaus Earth's ReBuilt project. Comparable in operating as a think-tank applying systems thinking to built environment and climate transformation.
• Wuppertal Institut: German leading research institute on climate, environment, and resources — listed as a Bauhaus Earth trusted partner. Comparable as a research-driven organization influencing German and European climate and built-environment policy.
• Built by Nature: European foundation driving mass timber and bio-based construction adoption, with which Bauhaus Earth co-developed the Principles for Responsible Timber Construction. Comparable as a funder/convener in regenerative construction though not a direct product competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Snøhetta: Norwegian-headquartered global architecture and design practice with strong sustainability and regenerative-design portfolio. Comparable as a large established architecture practice addressing regenerative built environment, but at vastly different scale and with a commercial model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xinstagram.com/bauhaus_earth
• YouTubeopen.spotify.com/show/0A5fOFWboopaTLoBbc2DoM?si=bc07b47f123a4755
• Facebookinstagram.com/bauhaus_earth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bauhaus-earth
• Instagraminstagram.com/bauhaus_earth

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bauhaus Earth