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Designing energy-efficient buildings

Energy-efficiency in buildings is an important factor to ensure the success of the energy transition. This is why dena advocates favourable market conditions,

energy-efficient services and technologies, thus helping to make buildings fit for the future.

Statistics & facts

21
million buildings
in Germany
35 %
is the share of total energy consumption in Germany
accounted for by buildings
The 80 %
by the end
of 2050
73
billion euro is the amount spent by users
of residential and non-residential buildings in 2014 for heating, hot water, lighting and air conditioning.

No energy transition without a heating transition

Buildings

dena advocates energy-saving building and refurbishment of buildings, thus contributing to the success of the energy transition.

Buildings account for around 35 percent of total energy consumption in Germany. In total, Germans spend roughly 73 billion euros on heating rooms, hot water, lighting and air conditioning in residential and non-residential buildings. Residential buildings are responsible for the lion’s share of energy consumption: 39 percent of all energy consumed in Germany is used in detached and semi-detached homes, while apartment buildings contribute another 24 percent. The remaining 37 percent of total energy consumption is for non-residential buildings.

Buildings offer significant energy-saving potential.

There is significant potential for saving energy in the building sector. Around 63 percent of residential buildings were constructed before the First Thermal Insulation Ordinance was introduced in 1979. In consequence, older houses offer the greatest efficiency potential: they consume up to five times as much energy as new builds erected after 2001, with an average annual energy consumption of approximately 85 kilowatt hours per square metre (kWh/m²a).

Buildings must become more energy-efficient

As part of its ambitious energy efficiency targets, the Federal Government has decided to implement a 20 percent reduction in heating requirements by 2020. By 2050, primary energy requirements are to be reduced by 80%, which would make the portfolio of existing buildings largely climate neutral. For this to happen, it is imperative to double the rate of energy-efficient building refurbishments from currently one to at least two percent.

dena is driving the energy transition

dena is committed to ensuring that the energy transition progresses in the building sector as well. To do so, it initiates pilot projects that confirm the practical utility of energy efficiency measures and advocates improving the quality of planning, implementation and monitoring of the individual measures. dena also develops and manages communication platforms and strategies, as well as political initiatives and events. Acting on the interface between politics and industry, dena is actively engaged in the promotion of greater energy efficiency on the national and international stage.

Projects on the issue buildings

Build Up Skills II – QUALITRAIN

The EU Project Qualitrain focuses on strengthening basic and advanced vocational training levels among the construction workforce in the fields of energy efficiency and renewable energy sources.

Overview

  • Project start: 2013
  • Project duration: 32 months
  • Project partners: ZDH, FBH, HPI, BIBB, ZWH, ZdB
  • Funded by: European Commission as part of the Intelligent Energy Europe programme

dena-Gebäudereport

Der Gebäudebereich bietet enormes Potenzial zur Einsparung und effizienter Nutzung von Energie. Der dena-Gebäudereport gibt einen umfassenden Überblick zum energetischen Zustand von Gebäuden in Deutschland und fasst wichtige Informationen übersichtlich zusammen.

Overview

  • Erscheint seit 2012 jährlich
  • auf 200 Seiten die wichtigsten Daten zur Energieeffizienz in Gebäuden
  • Analysen, Prognosen, Szenarien grafisch aufbereitet; mit Kernaussagen erläutert
  • Themenbreite: von Wohn- und Nichtwohngebäuden bis  Eigentümer- und Mieterstrukturen  im  Kontext politischer, wirtschaftlicher und historischer Ereignisse
  • Project Information

Eco-Cities in China

The Eco Cities in China project develops practice-oriented criteria for the sustainability of urban infrastructure and appropriate strategies and management instruments. In 27 pilot cities in China, proven German energy efficiency technologies and services are being tested and further developed.

Overview

  • 27 pilot cities
  • Project start: 2015
  • Partner:  Chinese Society for Urban Studies and China Eco-City Academy
  • Nations: Germany and PR China

Energy-Efficient Municipalities

Municipalities which consume less energy save money and promote climate protection. With its "Energy-Efficient Municipalities" project, dena aims to motivate local communities in Germany to introduce systematic energy and climate protection management. dena offers certification as a dena Energy-Efficient Municipality to cities and towns that have successfully introduced such a management system.

Overview

  • Project start: 2009
  • dena organises series of consulting events in numerous municipalities all across Germany
  • Three certified dena energy-efficient model municipalitities

Database of Energy Efficiency Experts for Government Funding Programmes

Investors can consult the Database of Energy Efficiency Experts for Government Funding Programmes to find experts in the area of energy-efficient building and refurbishment.

Overview

  • Project start 2011
  • Source of funding: BMWK, KfW Bankengruppe, BAFA
  • Number of listed experts: over 13,000
  • Number of network partners: 23

Advising BMWK on energy policies

Since 2016 (and since 2021 in the second cycle) dena has advised the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz, BMWK) on matters of energy policies in its position as framework agreement partner. It provides the consultancy services as the principal contractor, cooperating in this capacity with 15 partners from business and science.

Overview

  • Project start: September 2016
  • Client: Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action
  • Partners: adelphi, BBH, EY Law, FIW München, Fraunhofer ISI, Guidehouse, heimrich+hannot, ibh, ifeu, ITG, Milengo, Öko-Institut, Prognos, PwC, Uni Stuttgart (EEP & IER)

geea – “Allianz für Gebäude-Energie-Effizienz” (Alliance for Building Energy Efficiency)

The Alliance for Building Energy Efficiency (Allianz für Gebäude-Energie-Effizienz, geea) is a cross-sector consortium of leading enterprises, associations and organisations in the field of energy efficiency in the construction industry.

Overview

  • Project start: 2011
  • Positions and dialogue to improve building energy efficiency
  • Publication of numerous publications, organisation of political events
  • Participation in various dialogue formats
  • 2021: 10-year anniversary
  • 2023: Almost 30 members

Individual refurbishment roadmap for residential buildings

The individual refurbishment road map for residential buildings presents the coordinated steps of an energy-efficient refurbishment process. Together with consortium partners, dena is developing an overall methodology for this purpose.

Overview

  • Project start: July 2015
  • Consortium consisting of: dena, ifeu, PHI
  • Client: BMWi
  • Documents developed: Booklets "My refurbishment road map" and "Implementation aid for your measures" for homeowners, brief instructions and manual for energy consultants.

Campaign “zukunft haus” (“future house”).

What was originally conceived of as a portal for informing and motivating owners in 2003 has now developed into an extensive campaign and a mainstay for stakeholders from the industry and politicians, as well as for the press.

Overview

  • Project start: 2003
  • Over 9,000 newsletter subscribers
  • Approx. 30,000 press reports with a total reach (circulation) of 1.2 billion
  • Turnover of more than 6.3 million information brochures
  • Free hotline: over 100,000 questions on energy efficiency in buildings
  • Website: (consumer) information tailored specifically for a particular target group; over 8 million visitors on central internet platform

Federal-state dialogue event: Contracting

Energy contracting is an effective instrument for increasing energy efficiency in buildings. Contracting reduces energy costs, ensures low energy consumption and cuts CO2 emissions, This makes it an important instrument for the success of the energy transition. In order to tap into contracting potential all over Germany, dena operates the Centre of Expertise for Contracting for Buildings with support from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi).

Overview

  • Project start: 2002
  • More than 30 successful energy efficiency contracting projects for federal real estate have been launched
  • They guarantee savings of around 15–60 percent of the building's energy costs (39 percent on average) and average CO2 reductions of 37 percent.
  • 2010: Founding of the Centre of Expertise for Contracting
  • Established group of experts from state energy agencies, state authorities, and state offices