Prof. Lang (*1961) is Vice President for Sustainable Transformation and holds the Chair of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Planning and Building (ENPB) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). From 2008–2010, he was Professor of Sustainable Building and Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at the University of Texas School of Architecture in Austin, Texas.
The research of the Institute of Energy-Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building (ENPB) is concerned with the development of strategies, methods, technologies and solutions for building with a positive footprint. The goal is to realize buildings and urban neighborhoods with positive environmental impacts in the future. The fundamental use of regenerative energy systems and renewable building materials, as well as the implementation of closed material cycles, are essential building blocks here. The further development and use of methods for comprehensive life cycle analysis, taking into account ecological, eco
EDUCATION
Technical University of Munich, .
University of California – Los Angeles, Master of Architecture – M. Arch. II (UCLA), 1990.
Technical University of Munich, ., 1988.
Architectural Association London, extension studies, 1985 - 1986.
Peter-Dörfler-Gymnasium Marktoberdorf, A-Levels (Abitur), June 1980.
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Building and Construction, Architecture, Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering
108
Scopus Publications
4063
Scholar Citations
32
Scholar h-index
63
Scholar i10-index
Scopus Publications
Evaluation of Building Design Variants in Early Phases on the Basis of Adaptive Detailing Strategies Daniel Napps, Johannes Staudt, Ueli Saluz, Xia Chen, Daniel Steiner, et al. Buildings, 2026 Design decisions made in the early phases of the design process have a significant impact on the eventual performance of the completed building. Currently, computer-assisted methods offer limited support during the crucial stages of creating, assessing and refining design variants. This paper presents an integrated framework combining computer-aided design processes and performance-based evaluation methods to support a non-linear, iterative design process. The framework integrates spatial metrics (e.g., layout and design similarity), structural metrics (e.g., feasible systems and material quantities) and environmental–energy metrics (e.g., heating demand) to provide transparent, quantitative and qualitative feedback for early-stage decision-making. Applying the framework allowed for the incorporation of structural, environmental and spatial assessments early in the process. The design assistance framework is graphically represented using business process model and notation (BPMN), which facilitates communication between process design and implementation. A real-world, mixed-use building scenario illustrates how the individual methods interact to streamline the decision-making process for architects. The framework guides the entire process, from design decisions to structural and performance-specific features, offering inspirational support for architects and practical assistance for structural engineers, sustainability experts and other professionals involved in early-stage building design.
Dynamic life cycle impact assessment (DLCIA) in a sustainable building planning process Chujun Zong, Farzan Banihashemi, Werner Lang Scientific Reports, 2025 Building sector significantly contributes to the anthropogenic environmental impacts. To promote sustainable construction, life cycle assessment (LCA) serves as a useful tool to quantify the environmental impacts of a building and suggest improvement solutions. It is widely acknowledged by various regional and international regulations and is mandated for new buildings in the European Union. While the conventional LCA often fails to capture the dynamics in a building’s life cycle, this study enhances the plausibility of building LCA by implementing a dynamic life cycle impact assessment (DLCIA) for a solid masonry building, evaluating improvement solutions across its product and End-of-Life (EoL) phases. Our DLCIA approach, aligned with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Assessment Report (IPCC AR) 6, provides a transparent and clear calculation process of global warming potential (GWP) overtime and a comprehensible comparison with the conventional static calculation. We demonstrate that the dynamic GWP calculations based on the DLCIA approach are consistently 5–7% higher than static counterparts, successfully capturing the continuous decay of GHG emissions in the atmosphere and the environmental impact of each emission event. Applied to improvement solutions, this method guided strategies that achieved a 31.52% reduction in total GWP. Furthermore, integrating a dynamic circular recycling model into the improvement solutions in the EoL phases highlights the potential of combining multiple dynamic factors and critically discusses the concept of circular economy. To promote circular economy in construction, it is essential not only to improve the conversion rate of waste materials into compounds for virgin materials but also to explore cross-material recycling and recycling among multiple building entities. Future dynamic LCA (DLCA) studies should integrate DLCIA with other dynamic factors to enable more comprehensive and systematic assessments.
Material Scouting for Urban Mining in the German Building Sector I Takser, K Theilig, W Lang Iop Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science, 2025 The transition from a linear to a circular economy in the building sector is essential to protect resources and reduce environmental impacts. A central strategy of circular construction is reusing existing materials, so-called Urban Mining. However, there is a lack of tools for a systematic search for materials for Urban Mining. This paper shows methods for material scouting for Urban Mining in the German building sector. The focus is on searching for buildings about to be demolished so their materials can potentially be reused. The following methods for searching demolition projects could be identified: (1) Internet research, (2) inquiries to institutions and players in the construction industry, (3) city inspection, and (4) public appeal. As part of a case study, methods 1-3 were used to find demolished buildings within a radius of 50 kilometers around a defined point. A total of 15 potential demolitions have been identified. After further research, the demolition plans for eight buildings could be confirmed through contacting the property owners. Permission for an initial inspection has been granted for two of the properties. The inspection of one property showed contamination with asbestos; further use of the structural components was ruled out. Through a student seminar, the urban mining components of the second property were documented. The analysis of the material scouting methods and the case study’s implementation showed that procuring reused building components is a time-consuming process characterized by uncertainties. This highlights the need to document used materials and building components in ongoing and future projects. Further, sourcing materials and building components must be simplified to scale construction with reused building components.
Performance gap and occupant behavior - Review and analysis of high-efficiency residential buildings in Germany ECOS 2020 Proceedings of the 33rd International Conference on Efficiency Cost Optimization Simulation and Environmental Impact of Energy Systems, 2020
Applying Deep Learning and Databases for Energy-efficient Architectural Design Abstract Proceedings of the International Conference on Education and Research in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe, 2020
Correlative Impact of Shading Strategies on Sky Exposure and Cooling Performance at Pedestrian-level in Street Canyon Case study on Traditional Shophouse Neighbourhoods in Hot-Humid Zone PLEA 2020 35th PLEA Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture Planning Post Carbon Cities Proceedings, 2020
The energy grey zone—uncertainty in embedded energy and greenhouse gas emissions assessment of buildings in early design phases Life Cycle Analysis and Assessment in Civil Engineering Towards an Integrated Vision Proceedings of the 6th International Symposium on Life Cycle Civil Engineering Ialcce 2018, 2019
Decision criteria for life cycle based optimisation in early planning phases of buildings Life Cycle Analysis and Assessment in Civil Engineering Towards an Integrated Vision Proceedings of the 6th International Symposium on Life Cycle Civil Engineering Ialcce 2018, 2019
A Visualization Dashboard and Decision Support Tool for Building Integrated Performance Optimization Proceedings of the International Conference on Education and Research in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe, 2017
Criticality assessment of indium for thin-film photovoltaics in the context of sustainability goals for the German housing sector Proceedings of 33rd PLEA International Conference Design to Thrive PLEA 2017, 2017
LCA of different construction types depending on the building class Life Cycle of Engineering Systems Emphasis on Sustainable Civil Infrastructure 5th International Symposium on Life Cycle Engineering Ialcce 2016, 2017
Effectiveness of passive climate adaptation measures in residential buildings in Germany Proceedings of 33rd PLEA International Conference Design to Thrive PLEA 2017, 2017
Comparison of different meta model approches with a detailed buiding model for long-Term simulations 14th International Conference of Ibpsa Building Simulation 2015 Bs 2015 Conference Proceedings, 2015
Solar control in traditional architecture, potentials for passive design in hot and arid climate 30th International PLEA Conference Sustainable Habitat for Developing Societies Choosing the Way Forward Proceedings, 2014
The energy efficiency center of the center for applied energy research Würzburg, Germany 30th International PLEA Conference Sustainable Habitat for Developing Societies Choosing the Way Forward Proceedings, 2014
Systems modelling considering qualities and quantities for strategies of sustainable development of a liveable urban district in nuremberg European Group for Intelligent Computing in Engineering Eg ICE 2012 International Workshop Intelligent Computing in Engineering, 2012
RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
EnEff: Stadt: CircularGreenSimCity-Ganzheitlich-ressourceneffiziente Betrachtung von Stadtquartieren E Duminil, B Schröter, K Schulze, N Ehlers, W Lang, C Zong, C Götz, ... Hannover: Technische Informationsbibliothek , 2026 2026
Pilotprojekt Kreislaufwirtschaft-Schlussbericht I Takser, W Lang 2026
Wie lassen sich gegenwärtige Lernkonzepte auf Hochschulgebäude aus den 1960er und 1970er Jahren adaptieren? M Köhn 2026
Evaluation of Building Design Variants in Early Phases on the Basis of Adaptive Detailing Strategies D Napps, J Staudt, U Saluz, X Chen, D Steiner, C Zong, F Deghim, ... Buildings 16 (4), 685 , 2026 2026
Nachhaltigkeit durch aktuelle Forschung W Lang, K Theilig Kompendium Nachhaltige Bauwerke-Hochbauten: integral entwickeln, realisieren … , 2025 2025
Method Comparison for the Circularity Evaluation of Buildings and the Application of the Urban Mining Index to a Case Study in Germany I Takser, R Reitberger, W Lang IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1554 (1), 012021 , 2025 2025 Citations: 3
Concept Paper for a Python Tool to Estimate Recycle and Reuse Potential of Building Materials M Kobrousli, C Zong, N Ehlers, W Lang IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1554 (1), 012003 , 2025 2025
Material Scouting for Urban Mining in the German Building Sector I Takser, K Theilig, W Lang IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1546 (1), 012048 , 2025 2025
Municipal climate protection managers’ knowledge of embodied emissions in construction L Präger, J Woytowicz, W Lang Journal of Physics: Conference Series 3140 (17), 172003 , 2025 2025
Comparing refurbishment strategies for buildings at a city district level using life cycle analysis N Ehlers, C Zong, C Meier-Dotzler, W Lang Journal of Physics: Conference Series 3140 (13), 132010 , 2025 2025
LCA in the construction process A4 and A5: insights for Germany from European best practices H Chen, R Reitberger, W Lang Journal of Physics: Conference Series 3140 (13), 132009 , 2025 2025
Impact of trees on the heating energy demand of buildings: Statistical investigation with in situ and earth observation data R Reitberger, T Leichtle, H Palm, F Deghim, C Rempfer, D Mutzhas, ... Journal of Physics: Conference Series 3140 (6), 062011 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Dynamic life cycle impact assessment (DLCIA) in a sustainable building planning process C Zong, F Banihashemi, W Lang Scientific Reports 15 (1), 32680 , 2025 2025 Citations: 5
Life cycle assessment and multi-criteria decision-making for sustainable building parts: criteria, methods, and application (vol 29, pg 1965, 2024) K Theilig, B Lourenco, R Reitberger, W Lang INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT 30 (9), 2086-2086 , 2025 2025
Publisher Correction: Life cycle assessment and multi-criteria decision-making for sustainable building parts: criteria, methods, and application K Theilig, B Lourenço, R Reitberger, W Lang The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 30 (9), 2086-2086 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Assessing pedestrian level barriers using mobile robot to achieve 15-minute city concept C Zong, W Lang, F Pancheri, Y Sun Building Simulation 2025 19, 0-0 , 2025 2025
Dynamic factors in life cycle assessment: Systematic review and categorization C Zong, W Lang Building Simulation 2025 19, 0-0 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
LCA-based calculation of GHG Protocol Scope 3: A bottom-up approach to determine GHG emissions of the construction activity of municipalities L Präger, J Woytowicz, R Reitberger, W Lang Building and Environment, 113502 , 2025 2025 Citations: 9
Multi-criteria decision-making for energy building renovation: Comparing exterior wall structures with the AHP, ANP, utility analysis, and TOPSIS K Theilig, M Vollmer, W Lang, J Albus Building and Environment 280, 113075 , 2025 2025 Citations: 21
Life cycle cost analysis of urban trees: a case study of five cities in Germany D Bechtel, R Amberger, B Helmreich, S Bienert, W Lang Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 128952 , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Facade construction manual T Herzog, R Krippner, W Lang Walter de Gruyter , 2012 2012 Citations: 368
Climate responsive building design strategies of vernacular architecture in Nepal S Bodach, W Lang, J Hamhaber Energy and Buildings 81, 227-242 , 2014 2014 Citations: 331
Energy analysis of the built environment—A review and outlook JE Anderson, G Wulfhorst, W Lang Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 44, 149-158 , 2015 2015 Citations: 322
Materials passports-best practice M Heinrich, W Lang Technische Universität München, Fakultät für Architektur , 2019 2019 Citations: 196
A state of art of review on interactions between energy performance and indoor environment quality in Passive House buildings Y Wang, J Kuckelkorn, FY Zhao, H Spliethoff, W Lang Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 72, 1303-1319 , 2017 2017 Citations: 181
Building skins C Schittich De Gruyter , 2006 2006 Citations: 173
Integrating requirement analysis and multi-objective optimization for office building energy retrofit strategies Y Shao, P Geyer, W Lang Energy and Buildings 82, 356-368 , 2014 2014 Citations: 157
The convergence of life cycle assessment and nearly zero-energy buildings: The case of Germany M Weißenberger, W Jensch, W Lang Energy and buildings 76, 551-557 , 2014 2014 Citations: 142
A framework for the joint institutionalization of climate change mitigation and adaptation in city administrations C Göpfert, C Wamsler, W Lang Mitigation and adaptation strategies for global change 24 (1), 1-21 , 2019 2019 Citations: 137
The synergistic effect of street canyons and neighbourhood layout design on pedestrian-level thermal comfort in hot-humid area of China S Yin, W Lang, Y Xiao Sustainable cities and society 49, 101571 , 2019 2019 Citations: 76
Expanding the use of life-cycle assessment to capture induced impacts in the built environment JE Anderson, G Wulfhorst, W Lang Building and Environment 94, 403-416 , 2015 2015 Citations: 74
Environmental costs of buildings: monetary valuation of ecological indicators for the building industry P Schneider-Marin, W Lang The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 25 (9), 1637-1659 , 2020 2020 Citations: 72
Uncertainty analysis of life cycle energy assessment in early stages of design H Harter, MM Singh, P Schneider-Marin, W Lang, P Geyer Energy and Buildings 208, 109635 , 2020 2020 Citations: 72
Uncertainty analysis of embedded energy and greenhouse gas emissions using BIM in early design stages P Schneider-Marin, H Harter, K Tkachuk, W Lang Sustainability 12 (7), 2633 , 2020 2020 Citations: 71
Institutionalizing climate change mitigation and adaptation through city advisory committees: Lessons learned and policy futures C Göpfert, C Wamsler, W Lang City and Environment Interactions 1, 100004 , 2019 2019 Citations: 60
Fassaden atlas T Herzog, R Krippner, W Lang Walter de Gruyter , 2013 2013 Citations: 60
Life cycle and life cycle cost implications of integrated phase change materials in office buildings CA Konstantinidou, W Lang, AM Papadopoulos, M Santamouris International Journal of Energy Research 43 (1), 150-166 , 2019 2019 Citations: 58
Consistent management and evaluation of building models in the early design stages J Abualdenien, P Schneider-Marin, A Zahedi, H Harter, H Exner, ... Journal of Information Technology in Construction 25, 212-232 , 2020 2020 Citations: 54
Multiobjective optimization of a building envelope with the use of phase change materials (PCMs) in Mediterranean climates CA Konstantinidou, W Lang, AM Papadopoulos International Journal of Energy Research 42 (9), 3030-3047 , 2018 2018 Citations: 51
Correlative impact of shading strategies and configurations design on pedestrian-level thermal comfort in traditional shophouse neighbourhoods, Southern China S Yin, W Lang, Y Xiao, Z Xu Sustainability 11 (5), 1355 , 2019 2019 Citations: 50