These must be properties of today’s building materials. However, this is not the only reason why 2013 is also the year of drymix mortar and construction chemistry for ZKG INTERNATIONAL. There are various reasons for this. Individual issues of ZKG have regularly dealt with this topic as a main focus for years. This is also the case in this issue. For the first time we are planning to publish a special issue in September of this year, which will deal only with this topic. Modern building materials have to be sustainable, energy efficient and functional, and they have to support creative and durable building. Whether cement-, lime- or gypsum-based, drymix mortars as highly specialized multi-component products offer many possibilities of application as regards shape, function and colour. These are some of the reasons why the requirements regarding the plant technology, (proportioning, weighing exactness, change of formulations, etc.) and concerning the binders, aggregates and additives used, are extremely demanding. Several events will deal with these topics: the idmmc 4 (//www.drymix.info" target="_blank" >www.drymix.info:www.drymix.info), the European Mortar Summit (//www.euromortar.com" target="_blank" >www.euromortar.com:www.euromortar.com) and the First International Construction Chemistry Conference in Berlin (//www.gdch.de/bauchemie2013" target="_blank" >www.gdch.de/bauchemie2013:www.gdch.de/bauchemie2013), to name just a few. Follow the developments in this branch together with us!