Energy-saving measures for buildings in Germany #Energy Planning

Many buildings in Germany need too much energy and have high CO₂ emissions. Nearly 40 % of the total final energy consumption is used for heating and warm water. To improve this situation the German government decided to support energy-saving measures in three areas:

• CO₂-Program for comprehensive renovation of one building,
• «Modernize living space» for individual energy measures and
• «Ecological Construction» for new buildings as energy efficient houses and passive houses.

With these actions the government aims to reduce living expenses, create jobs and support climate protection.

The government started with this program in 2001, since 2007 the improved conditions offer cheaper interest rates and grants for the clearance of the debt. The result within just one year was the energy-saving renovation of about 400,000 buildings and the construction of 100,000 new energy efficient houses.

The CO₂-Program includes the modernization of the heating system, replacement of windows, insulation of exterior walls, basement floors and roofs. Through these measures the energy consumption can be reduced by one third to one half. To give incentives to private persons to implement energy-saving measures into the buildings there are credits with interest subsidy or tax relieves.

Since 2007 the government promoted additionally energy-saving measures in schools, day care centers and buildings of public charities. For this purpose it made € 200 million a year available for interest subsidy of loans until 2009. Furthermore it supported municipalities to make schools, kindergartens and youth centers energy efficient with € 600 million. These measures were noticeable on the labor market where 220,000 jobs were saved or newly created.

Overall the measures of the German government help to make Germany more energy efficient. Until 2020 Germans can save up to € 50 billion on heating costs. It should be kept in mind that the rents do not increase too much due to these measures. Important is to change the mindset of the society that people do not construct cheap buildings to live expensive afterwards. One solution can be to build wooden houses: This construction style improves the condition of the air of a room and has the best data in heat insulation.

Resources (German), last accessed 29.12.2011:

Bundesregierung (2008) Wer dämmt, gewinnt: die energetische Gebäudesanierung, http://www.bundesregierung.de/Content/DE/Magazine/MagazinVerbraucher/002/s2-die-energetische-gebaeudesanierung.html

Bundesregierung (2011) Bundesregierung fördert Gebäudesanierung weiter, http://www.bundesregierung.de/Content/DE/Artikel/2011/05/2011-05-12-merkel-haus-und-grund.html

Sichere Immobilie (without year) Immobilien Sanierung – Die neuen Pläne der Bundesregierung, http://www.sichere-immobilie.de/immobilien-sanierung-die-neuen-plaene-der-bundesregierung/

Thoma, wooden houses (english), http://www.thoma.at/html/english/index1.html

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