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Energieeffizienz-Expertin während einer Vor-Ort-Kontrolle

Implementation of on-site inspections

As part of the ‘Energieeffizientes Bauen und Sanieren’ (Energy-efficient and Sustainable Construction and Refurbishment) and ‘Bundesförderung für effiziente Gebäude’ (Federal Funding for Efficient Buildings) funding programmes

Topics: Energy efficiency, Funding, Buildings, Redesigning buildings and areas

Our mission: on-site inspections for quality assurance

With its on-site inspections, dena makes an important contribution to quality assurance in the Energy-efficient and Sustainable Construction and Refurbishment and Federal Funding for Efficient Buildings funding programmes. In this manner, dena supports the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Action, the KfW Group and the Federal Office of Economic Affairs and Export Control throughout Germany. dena has been carrying out on-site inspections for the Energy-efficient and Sustainable Construction and Refurbishment programme since 2013 and for the Federal Funding for Efficient Buildings programme since 2021. 
 

The funding programmes promote energy-efficient buildings in refurbishment projects or new construction. dena sends experts on-site to ensure that the subsidised measures meet the requirements. 

Our approach: implementation of random inspections of sites

dena has been tasked with the coordination, documentation, implementation and analysis of the on-site inspections. Once completed, the subsidised projects are randomly checked through on-site inspections. They are a component of the quality assurance of the funding programmes.

A typical on-site inspection is carried out in three steps: 

  1. The funding recipients receive a letter from the KfW Group and the Federal Office of Economic Affairs and Export Control informing them of their inclusion in the spot-check with a request for further information.
  2. In the second step, independent energy efficiency experts commissioned by dena review the implementation status of the subsidised project on-site.
  3. Then dena processes these results and forwards them to the KfW Group and the Federal Office of Economic Affairs and Export Control. These organisations inform the building contractors of the results of the inspection.

Our milestones

  • 2024: in just eleven years, dena has inspected around 3,000 buildings in collaboration with around 60 independent energy efficiency experts.
  • 2013–2024: the share of construction projects in which defects are identified during on-site inspections has decreased over the years. This shows the positive effect of the various quality assurance measures.
  • 2013–2024: important findings from the on-site inspections have since been incorporated into the further development of the funding programmes and quality assurance measures. Notes on common errors and difficulties are published.

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