building fabric
Loading your saved state.
building fabric
The entirety of the material and structural components of a building that determine its condition, stability, and value.
Das alte Fachwerkhaus hat eine erstaunlich gut erhaltene Bausubstanz.
The old half-timbered house has surprisingly well-preserved building fabric.
The word is composed of 'Bau' (building/construction, from 'bauen' (to build)) and 'Substanz' (substance). So it literally describes the material substance of a building.
Die Substanz dieses alten Holzes ist noch sehr gut.
The substance of this old wood is still very good.
'Bausubstanz' (building fabric) is a technical term from architecture, construction, and the real estate industry. In everyday conversation about a house, people would more likely simply speak of the 'Zustand des Hauses' (condition of the house).
Ein Gutachter prüft die Bausubstanz vor dem Kauf eines Hauses.
An expert inspects the building fabric before the purchase of a house.
The quality of the building fabric is often described with adjectives, e.g. 'eine gute/schlechte Bausubstanz' (good/bad building fabric). Typical verbs are 'die Bausubstanz erhalten' (to preserve the building fabric), 'prüfen' (to inspect), or 'sanieren' (to renovate).
Viele alte Gebäude in der Innenstadt haben eine marode Bausubstanz.
Many old buildings in the city center have dilapidated building fabric.
substance
'die Substanz' and 'die Bausubstanz' can both have to do with the internal condition or core of something. However, 'Substanz' is much more general and can also mean the essential content of an argument, text, or building. 'Bausubstanz' is used only for buildings. It refers to the material and load-bearing parts of a house that determine its condition and value. The words can be confused because 'Bausubstanz' contains the word 'Substanz'. When you are talking specifically about the condition of a building, 'Bausubstanz' is more precise.
Nach dem Wasserschaden muss ein Fachmann die Bausubstanz prüfen.
After the water damage, an expert needs to inspect the building fabric.
Bei der alten Mauer ist noch genug Substanz vorhanden, um sie zu erhalten.
The old wall still has enough substance to be preserved.