digitalBAU 2022 builds on strong premiere

• From February 15 to 17 at Koelnmesse, the exhibition center in Cologne
• Trade fair grows from one to three halls
• Three questions to Dr. Reinhard Pfeiffer, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Messe München

The number of participating exhibitors is at pre-coronavirus levels. Dr. Reinhard Pfeiffer, Deputy Chairman of the Board, Messe München provides an outlook for the trade show:

Dr. Pfeiffer, exhibitions have experienced difficult times due to the pandemic. How is this reflected at digitalBAU 2022?

We are pleased to see a strong response to the upcoming digitalBAU: the number exhibitor registrations we received so far are almost at pre-COVID levels, which is a great success. The need for digital solutions—which our trade show addresses—is a perennial issue. Additionally, digitalBAU will grow from one to three halls and, with a new hall structure, will be placing much greater emphasis on networking among participants.

Trade fairs have already been held successfully again since September. In Munich, it was particularly IAA MOBILITY that provided the subsequent fairs with a strong tailwind as it was the first major international event since COVID-19. Thanks to our proven protection and hygiene concept and our experienced partners at Koelnmesse, we can guarantee a safe trade fair experience also at digitalBAU.

What role does digitalBAU play in your trade fair network?

digitalBAU brings together the top experts who are driving the digitalization of the construction industry. The platform benefits from the network of the world's leading trade fair BAU, and this biennial event in Munich certainly highlights this topic as well.

However, innovation cycles in the digital sector are shorter, which is why we created an additional platform: digitalBAU—perfectly in tune with the times: the first edition in early 2020 exceeded our expectations. Now, we are looking forward to seeing our customers again—and to new exhibitors such as JUNG, GIRA, PERI, and Wilhelm-Layher.

What will be the show’s highlights content-wise?

The supporting program will be more extensive, also covering robotics and artificial intelligence, building automation and digital urban planning. Another new feature will be the digitalBAU Innovation Challenge where solutions from the sector and from start-ups will be awarded via online voting on our website—the final pitch will then then take place on site at digitalBAU. Architectural offices such as SOBEK Ingenieure, Henn Architekten, kadawittfeldarchitektur and GRAFT are on board.

Architects can again participate in own guided tours. A highlight will be the keynote “Transformative ideas for the New European Bauhaus” by Francesca Bria, President of the Italian National Innovation Fund, CDP Venture Capital, which will deal with the identity of buildings, places and urban quarters and their sustainable development. With “Modular planning and building in practice” in the Bauverlag Forum the architectural firm HPP will engage with digitalization at all levels, in the trades, in planning, and of course BIM, also in municipalities.