"The stricter energy efficiency requirements for new buildings applicable from 2016 are not open to debate – that is a positive result of today's Conference of Construction Ministers," comments Andreas Kuhlmann, Chief Executive of the Deutsche Energie-Agentur (dena) - German Energy Agency - and spokesman of the "Allianz für Gebäude-Energie-Effizienz" (geea) – "Alliance for Building Energy Efficiency".
In light of the growing demand for low-cost housing, individual Federal States called for the higher energy efficiency requirements for new buildings to be postponed for several years, to reduce the construction costs. "While lower energy efficiency investments do make construction cheaper, tenants pay the price with higher energy costs for decades. Also, we have to start building houses with minimal energy requirements as fast as possible, if we take the long-term energy and climate targets in the building sector seriously. This decision to adhere to high efficiency standards was therefore not only a vote for sustainable housing, but also an energy system with a future and climate protection," emphasised Kuhlmann. Kuhlmann adds that although there is an urgent and high demand for low-cost housing to cope with the current influx of refugees, especially in cities and conurbations, there are far better instruments for this.
geea also welcomes the "revision of the Energy Savings Act (EnEV) and Renewable Energy Heating Law (EEWärmeG)" which is also included in the resolution. "This revision will give us an opportunity to simplify the highly complex regulatory framework and also to harmonise it nationwide. Also, we have to tackle regulatory law anyway to define the "Nearly Zero Energy Building" standard required by the EU," continues Kuhlmann.
The dena Energy Efficiency Congress on 16 and 17 November in Berlin will give representatives from business, politics and associations a forum to discuss the further development of energy standards for buildings. Learn more about the agenda and register at http://www.dena-kongress.de/