As part of this joint appointment between the University of Stuttgart and the Frauenhofer Society as per the so-called Berlin Model, Gunnar Grün promotes and maintains the cooperation with the Frauenhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP in particular, and remains responsible for management functions there as before: In 2011-2015 he successfully managed the Indoor Climate department, and since 2015 he has managed the Energy Efficiency and Indoor Climate department. In 2016 he took on the role of deputy institute director.

Climate protection goals and concepts for adapting to climate change are posing new challenges for building physics – particularly in terms of the urgently-needed refurbishment of existing buildings. Whereas more and more complex systems need to be integrated and sustainable, low-carbon building methods need to be introduced in order to make buildings energy efficient, the users and their requirements also need to be taken into consideration more in the planning and running of the buildings. Digitization in construction as well as computer-based methods also play a key role here. Gunnar Grün will focus on these topics during his professorship and expand on them in his research and teaching. We are very happy to have been able to secure the services of Mr Grün for these tasks and wish him all the best.