The ‘zukunft haus’ (Future house) information campaign

Residential and non-residential buildings account for the largest share of final energy demand across the EU at around 40 per cent. This means that the energy efficiency of these buildings will inevitably become a focal point if the energy transition is to succeed. For the homeowners target group, an independent communication approach with staying power is required. It also needs to be disentangled from the topic of the energy transition as a whole. This is the only way to generate the necessary momentum to kick-start the process of increasing efficiency in buildings. After all, there are hundreds of thousands of individual decision-makers involved, who want to be well-informed.

2003 marked the inception of dena’s major efficiency campaign, including its title ‘zukunft haus’ and the motto ‘Energie sparen, Wert gewinnen’ (Save energy, increase value). The topic and all its facets are addressed on an Internet platform, always in a comprehensible format that is easily accessible for the general public. It quickly became the central communication platform on the topic of energy-efficient construction and refurbishment. Over the years, thousands of homeowners and experts, hundreds of journalists and numerous industry representatives have accessed information on everything under the sun, from system technology to figures relating to the building sector.

The zukunft haus website was listed by BILD Zeitung, a German daily newspaper, as one of the 100 most important Internet offerings. The zukunft-haus congress proved to be a successful event format, and was therefore the inspiration for the subsequent dena Energy Efficiency Congress. The range of trade and consumer publications had, in the meantime, almost reached the level of a proper publishing house, and the reach of the press relations hit nine figures. The platform is aimed at contractors and companies as well as refurbishment experts such as architects and energy consultants and politicians. It also includes tips on building, refurbishing and energy savings measures, as well as studies and information on legislation.

Useful tools such as the Database of Energy Efficiency Experts, a feasibility calculator or the search option for subsidies pave the way from theory to practice.

When it first started, the portal was primarily intended as a means to inform and motivate homeowners. In the meantime, it has developed into a permanent fixture for stakeholders from business and politics as well as for the press. dena has been initiating important strategic stakeholder dialogues and bundling the necessary specialist policy discussions with the industry to increase energy efficiency in the building sector under the new project name ‘Bau-Dialoge’ (Dialogues on building) since 2015.

They all use the platform to take part in the dialogue or to be inspired by new trends and ideas on the subject of energy efficiency in the building sector. The initiative’s current role of bringing together stakeholders from different areas is not limited to the Internet. Important expert events are also organised and held, such as the dena Energy Efficiency Congress, federal/state dialogues and events at EU level.

Funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) from 2003 to 2014.