Technical Planning

Specialized design refers to the specialized planning of individual trades or technical systems within a construction project by qualified engineers, which goes beyond the scope of general architectural services. Typical specialized planning disciplines include structural engineering, building services engineering (heating, ventilation, plumbing, electrical), sound insulation, fire protection, and energy efficiency. It is required by law for larger construction projects and is crucial for quality, safety, and obtaining permits.

The Most Important Specialized Planning Disciplines

Various specialist planners are involved in every new construction and major renovation project:

Structural Engineering (Statics): The structural engineer calculates the loads and designs load-bearing components such as foundations, floors, columns, and roof structures. No building permit is issued without a structural stability analysis from the structural engineer.

MEP Design (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing): Planners for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and plumbing (HVAC) as well as electrical engineering design all building services systems. In the age of heat pumps and photovoltaics, this planning has become particularly complex.

Fire Protection Planning: Mandatory for certain building classes (in Bavaria, starting with Class 3) or for special structures. The fire protection planner creates the fire protection concept, which is reviewed by the building authority.

Energy Planning / GEG Certification: Since the Building Energy Act (GEG 2023), an energy performance certificate and GEG certification are mandatory for all new construction and renovations. The energy consultant / specialist planner calculates the primary energy demand and develops the energy concept.

Acoustic insulation planning: Relevant for multi-family homes, for renovations in commercial areas, or where there are heightened requirements (e.g., near railway lines in Nuremberg or on heavily trafficked streets such as Frankenstraße).

Scope of Services and Fees

In Germany, fees for specialist planners are based on the HOAI (Fee Schedule for Architects and Engineers). The services are divided into nine service phases (SP 1 to SP 9):

Service Phase	Content
Phase 1-2	Preliminary planning and concept development
Phase 3-4	Design planning and permit planning
Phase 5-6	Construction planning and preparation for contracting
Phase 7-8	Participation in contracting, construction supervision
Phase 9	Post-completion building management

For a typical single-family home in Nuremberg, structural engineering accounts for approximately 1-2% of construction costs, while building services engineering accounts for approximately 3-5%.

Specialized Planning for Existing Buildings: Unique Challenges

While new buildings receive complete planning documents from the outset, existing buildings often require extensive preliminary investigations. Especially for buildings from the 1950s to the 1970s, reliable as-built drawings are frequently missing, and the actual condition of load-bearing components must first be determined by opening up sections of the structure or using non-destructive testing methods.

Technical planning plays a particularly important role in energy-efficient renovations: The energy consultant (energy efficiency expert certified by the German Energy Agency, dena) must be accredited as an “energy efficiency expert” for all KfW and BAFA subsidy programs. Only with such an expert on their side can owners take advantage of government funding under the Federal Funding for Efficient Buildings (BEG)-so working with a qualified specialist planner is not only a quality assurance measure but also financially relevant.

When converting residential buildings into multi-family homes or dividing them into condominiums (ETW), specialized acoustic planning in accordance with DIN 4109 is also required. In Nuremberg, this is particularly relevant for the Wilhelminian-era buildings in the Südstadt, in Gostenhof, or in the northeast of the city, where existing buildings are increasingly being converted into condominiums.

Selecting and Hiring the Right Specialist Planner

The quality of the specialist planning is a decisive factor in the project’s success. The following points will help with the selection:

Check certifications and references: Structural engineers must be registered with the Bavarian Chamber of Engineers for Civil Engineering. Energy consultants require dena certification for KfW subsidies. Fire protection engineers should have a proven track record of preparing reports recognized by the building authority.

Experience with the building type: A specialist planner who has worked exclusively on new construction projects may not be the best choice for the renovation of a Wilhelminian-style building. We recommend specifically asking about experience with comparable properties and visiting reference projects.

Liability insurance: Specialist planners are liable for planning errors. Adequate professional liability insurance (typically at least 1-2 million euros per claim) is a minimum requirement for a reputable engagement.

Clarify interfaces early on: If the architect and specialist planner are hired separately, responsibilities and communication channels must be clearly defined from the outset. Unclear interfaces between architects and MEP specialists are one of the most common causes of cost overruns and construction delays.

Practical Tip for Property Owners in Nuremberg and Franconia

We recommend that property owners planning major renovation projects involve the specialist planners early on-ideally as early as the preliminary planning stage. In Nuremberg and the metropolitan region, all technical plans relevant to approval must be submitted to the Building Authority of the City of Nuremberg (City Planning Office, Lorenzer Platz 5). Anyone who builds without adequate technical planning risks construction stoppages, remediation costs, and issues with residential building insurance.

Especially when converting existing buildings into condominiums-a common process in Nuremberg’s Wilhelminian-era building stock-specialized planning for structural engineering and sound insulation is essential to ensure that the resulting apartments meet the minimum legal requirements of DIN 4109. If needed, we can connect you with qualified specialist planners from our network in the Nuremberg metropolitan region who have experience with the regional building stock and local regulatory processes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a structural engineer to convert my single-family home in Nuremberg?

That depends on the scope of the project. If load-bearing walls are altered or removed, a structural stability analysis by a structural engineer is mandatory in Bavaria and must be included in the building permit application. A structural engineer is also generally required for roof extensions, the installation of dormers, or the construction of additions.

Who is responsible for coordinating the various specialist planners?

Typically, the architect serves as the general planner. They coordinate the interfaces between the various trades and bear overall responsibility for the quality of the design. For complex projects, this task is sometimes taken on by a specialized project manager who does not belong to any of the involved design disciplines and coordinates in a neutral capacity.

How much does a fire safety assessment cost in Bavaria?

The costs depend on the building class and the scope of the project. For a multi-family residence in building class 4 or higher, the cost of a fire safety concept typically ranges between 3,000 and 10,000 euros. For special-purpose buildings such as schools, hotels, or care facilities, the costs can be significantly higher. The fire safety concept must be approved by the building authority-errors in the planning can lead to substantial remediation costs.

What is the difference between technical planning and technical construction management?

Technical planning encompasses the drafting and calculation-based preparation of a construction project (service phases 1-6 of the HOAI). Technical construction management (service phase 8) refers to the supervision of construction work on-site. Both services can be provided by the same technical planners, but their scope is clearly distinct. Owners should ensure that construction supervision is also handled by a qualified specialist planner and not left solely to the contractor.

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