Eckhart is an architect with more than 30 years’ experience in the sustainable buildings and property industry. He joined Buro Happold’s Berlin office in 2023 as Associate Director Portfolio Strategies Europe to advise asset and portfolio managers on Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) as well as EU Taxonomy related issues. In this role, Eckhart’s primary focus is on accompanying clients, investors, institutions and public authorities during their period of change management in order to develop sustainable buildings, districts and companies.
The guiding principle and motivation throughout his career has been to make the property industry more sustainable applying his vast experiences in economy, research and education.
Eckhart has been involved in the development of more than 30 national and international building projects. He has worked as a research and development manager in Singapore focusing on project consultation for energy efficiency concepts in 13 countries of the Asia-Pacific region, followed by a professorship for sustainable building technologies at the University of Melbourne, Australia. On his return to Germany, he led the Morgenstadt (City of Tomorrow) Initiative at the Fraunhofer Research Organisation as well as the Future City national platform for the German government. He coordinated the European Smart City Programme EIP SCC in Brussels and was the CEO of the Joanes Foundation in Berlin, which is dedicated to the social aspects of district development.
Eckhart studied Architecture at the University of Stuttgart, he is Certified Foundation Manager of the Deutsche Stiftungsakademie and honorary professor for sustainable urban infrastructure at the Technical University Berlin. He initiated and received the Green Mark Awards from the Buildings and Construction Authority of Singapore, has received honours of the Master Builders Association of Victoria, Australia and took part in the OECD Global Science Forum.
As an expert in his field, he has given over 100 speeches, interviews and panel discussions and has released more than 50 national and international publications.