Since the end of October, experts who plan KfW efficient houses in the non-residential sector or are involved in their implementation can now register for the Database of Energy Efficiency Experts for Government Subsidy Programmes. Deutsche Energie-Agentur (dena) – the German Energy Agency – which organises the database at www.energie-effizienz-experten.de wishes to remind companies and municipalities that this will help them find experts for energy-saving construction and refurbishment of offices, factories, schools or hotels quickly.
Since 1 July 2015, KfW has been subsidising energy refurbishment and new energy-efficient commercially-used non-residential buildings in the retail, services and industrial sectors (KfW programmes 276, 277, 278). The existing subsidy programmes for municipal and social non-residential buildings like schools or hospitals have been supplemented with subsidies for new buildings since 1 October 2015 (KfW programmes 217 - 220). In this context, the non-residential buildings category was added to the Database of Energy Efficiency Experts.
Requirements for entry in the non-residential buildings category
Like the residential buildings KfW programme, future non-residential buildings experts must provide evidence of a basic and supplementary qualification. The basic qualification is the authorisation to issue energy performance certificates for non-residential buildings per Paragraph 12 of the Energy Savings Ordinance (EnEV).
Experts can prove their additional qualification via continuing professional development or a reference. Continuing professional development must comprise a total of 150 lesson units. It is broken down into basic subjects on energy-efficient construction and refurbishment and an additional module "Planning and implementation of non-residential buildings".
Experts who are already registered in the "Residential buildings (KfW)" and/or "On-site consultation (BAFA)" categories only have to show that they have participated in 50 lesson units of continuing professional development. Also, they will not be charged any extra fees for an additional listing as experts for non-residential buildings. A new entry in the list costs € 50.00 (net) on a once-off basis, plus an annual fee of € 100.00 (net).
The current Rule book describes the exact requirements for listing as an expert for non-residential buildings.
Anyone who wants to register for the new category in the Database of Energy Efficiency Experts for Government Subsidy Programmes can do so at www.energie-effizienz-experten.de. Experts already listed can register for the new non-residential buildings category via their profile.
The subsidy programmes and the corresponding extension of the energy efficiency expert list take the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NAPE) into consideration. This is planned to utilise as yet untapped efficiency potential in non-residential buildings. Although these buildings only account for 15 percent of buildings in Germany, they are responsible for one third of the energy consumption by buildings in Germany.
About the Database of Energy Efficiency Experts
In 2011, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) and the KfW decided to set up a nationwide database of qualified energy efficiency experts in order to guarantee the quality of energy consulting and energy-efficient construction and refurbishment measures that qualify for funding. The database was set up and is being maintained by dena.