07/27/2026

Sustainable Materials and Methods in Landscape and Outdoor Construction

Sustainable landscape and outdoor construction is not just about creating greener spaces. The processes behind it also belong on the test bench: buying more consciously, reusing materials, choosing sustainable building materials, factoring in recycling, and bringing employees along on the journey. There is plenty to discover on this topic at GaLaBau in September 2026. Expert Hartmut Bremer already explains which fields of action really matter for sustainable landscape and outdoor construction – and why CO2-reduced concrete still leads a niche existence.

Written by Karsten Köber

Building sustainably: saving materials, working cleanly, planning for durability

Sustainable Landscape and Outdoor Construction – What's Behind It?

“Sustainable development means meeting the needs of the present in such a way that the opportunities of future generations are not diminished.” That is how Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) describes the concept of sustainable development — a formulation of the classic definition first put forward by the Brundtland Commission. As the ministry’s own explanation of the term is only available in German, you can read more about the origins of this definition, in English,on the United Nations website.

This approach also opens up exciting and urgently needed perspectives for landscape and outdoor construction. Hartmut Bremer shows what that can look like in practice – for example, when using sustainable building materials. He knows what he is talking about: Bremer works at „Blattwerk Gartengestaltung“ in the southwest of Stuttgart, a company you can get an impression of on its website (in German). The „Bundesverband Garten-, Landschafts- und Sportplatzbau e. V.“ (BGL) – Germany’s national association for landscape, garden and sports-ground construction, which exhibits at GaLaBau 2026 – has also featured Blattwerk in its blog (in German).

Bremer is also a board member of the „Verband Garten- und Landschaftsbau Baden-Württemberg“, the regional landscaping association for Baden-Württemberg, where he serves as officer for sustainable business practices. You can find out more about the association’s work on its website (in German).

Icon tiles on sustainability: machinery, recycling, logistics, soil — Sustainable landscape and outdoor construction: six levers, from equipment to employees

Six Fields of Action for Sustainable Work

“Our professional association has identified six fields of action as particularly relevant for landscape gardeners,” says Hartmut Bremer:

Machinery and equipment
Waste and recycling
Soil and groundwater
Purchasing, yard management and administration
Logistics
Employees and social matters

Anyone wanting to dig deeper will find more in-depth information on the association’s website (in German).

Tips on Sustainable Building Materials

The field of purchasing, yard management and administration also includes thinking about the use of sustainable building materials. Hartmut Bremer has a few tips for landscaping professionals: “If, for example, an existing home garden is being redesigned, landscape gardeners can reuse natural stone and concrete blocks that are already on site.” He adds: “If new paved areas are being created, the material thickness of the slabs or stones can happily be reduced. It also makes sense to use recycled aggregate as a sub-base.”

Used Building Materials and CO2-Reduced Concrete

Using building materials salvaged from other construction sites is another good way to conserve our valuable resources. CO2-reduced concrete, however, does not yet play a role, because it is not available in the quantities typically needed for landscape and outdoor construction projects.

Resource-conserving construction sites and the use of sustainable building materials often require more planning effort. “But it is always worth it,” says Hartmut Bremer with conviction. “Because sustainable work in landscape and outdoor construction is work for the future.” Anyone looking for more inspiration and motivation will find it at the next GaLaBau in Nuremberg.

Author

Karsten Köber

Gärtner, Landschaftsarchitekt und Journalist, Inhaber des Büros projekkt.com in Karlsruhe