Englisch

BLB NRW

Providing Space for NRW – Our Local Area

Bau- und Liegenschaftsbetrieb NRW (building and real estate management North Rhine-Westphalia)

About us – an overview of our business

BLB NRW manages one of the largest and most demanding real estate portfolios in Europe. Our legal task is to purchase, administer, develop and utilize properties for federal purposes according to economic principles considering the objectives of the federal government of North Rhine-Westphalia. In addition, BLB NRW plans and implements the civilian and military construction measures of the federal government of Germany in North Rhine-Westphalia. Whether university campus or monument, police headquarter or prison – the spectrum of real estate managed by BLB NRW is unique in Germany.

Our Customers

Appreciation and fairness as well as constructive dialogues are the working basis of BLB NRW. As a strong and reliable partner, we orientate ourselves to the needs of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, always strive for a tailor-made solution for our customers and clients and integrate them constantly into processes and decisions at an early stage. As a building and real estate manager with great knowledge and expertise, BLB NRW works very efficiently in terms of land use and cost reduction and thus contributes to budget savings of the Federal Government of North Rhine-Westphalia.

BLB NRW is responsible for the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia as well as for the Federal Republic of Germany. A very diverse spectre of customers. And just as diverse are the real estate solutions and facility management services BLB NRW provides for its clients, which include universities, financial and judicial administration, police and law enforcement authorities as well as several special public properties. In terms of building construction BLB NRW also works for the Bundeswehr (German military), NATO and civil federal authorities, planning and realising projects inside the borders of North Rhine-Westphalia.

We realize our governments big investment programmes like HMoP (University modernisation programme, 2009 to 2015, 69 individual measures), HKoP (University construction consolidation programme, since 2015, up to 25 projects at 16 sites) and JVMoP (Law enforcement modernisation programme, since 2015, modernisation of prisons at least at 4 locations).

Responsibility

On behalf of the federation of North Rhine-Westphalia, the BLB NRW focuses in all its work on strict, publicly documented guidelines.

BLB NRW is aware of the trust placed in it by the federation of North Rhine-Westphalia, its customers and clients. We are constantly working to live up to their high expectations and the responsibility for our employees, for society and for future generations. As a responsible company, BLB NRW is already tackling tomorrow's challenges. In cooperation with our customers, we implement the building policy objectives of the federation, such as the energy-saving targets, and make our contribution to improving the quality of life and work in public spaces.

Our Structure

Our seven branches and their areas of responsibility

BLB NRW employs approximately 2,700 people in seven branches. It is an attractive employer with exciting and varied tasks. BLB NRW is committed to a partnership approach and the equal and individual support of its employees.

Management board

The management board consists of our three CEOs, Gabriele Willems, Marcus Hermes and Dirk Behle, and is in charge for the operation process.

Gabriele Willems, as a civil engineer, is primarily responsible for the technical tasks of BLB NRW since 2015. Ms. Willems started her career with an international building materials company. She then held management positions at Hochtief Construction and Hochtief Solutions, where she was responsible for strategy, corporate development and key account management.

Marcus Hermes has been with BLB NRW since 2017. As a business graduate in the property and housing industry, he is primarily responsible for commercial issues. As former Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer for various companies in Hochtief Group and responsible person for the provincial companies of the Austrian Porr Bau GmbH in Eastern and Southern Europe, he has extensive experience in the construction and real estate industry.

Dirk Behle joined the management of BLB NRW in 2019. The lawyer is an experienced administrative expert and manages, among others, the areas of personnel, governance and law. Mr. Behle began his career in financial administration back in 1993. At the turn of the millennium, he started working at the Ministry of Finance. He was in charge as a tax investigation officer, later headed the Cabinet and State Parliament Department and was also responsible for the political supervision of BLB NRW as Group Leader.

As BLB NRW belongs to the Federal State of NRW, it is necessary that one of its ministries has a supervision authority over all the tasks. In this case it’s the Ministry of Finance, because all of the real estates and properties are on one hand worth a lot of money and on the other hand it is also expensive to construct and administer them. The Ministry of Finance as supervision authority elects the members of the supervisory board.

The supervisory board gets together quarterly and advises the Minister of Finance as well as the management board, our CEOs, on the general operation process.

The supervisory board consists of up to eight members which are entitled to vote. The state secretary of Finance is chairman, while the state secretary of Construction is vice-chairman. Furthermore the state secretary of environment and up to five real estate experts join them. One additional member, which is not entitled to vote, forwards the employees’ interests.

The real estate life cycle is considered from the development phase to eventual resale or demolition. Properties that are no longer needed for the fulfilment of tasks of the federal state (for example, by departure and dismissal of the user), are sold by the Department of Purchase and Sales.

Properties for sale