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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.

More about the topic

Projects on the issue buildings

Involvement in the European Energy Network – EnR

EnR is a voluntary network that is currently comprised of 25 energy agencies throughout Europe. Its aim is to facilitate an active, organised exchange on the European energy transition.

Overview

  • Network of European energy agencies
  • dena presidency in 2016 and 2023
  • Supports the implementation of EU directives
  • Advises on practical regulation

 

Check-in Energy Efficiency pilot project

dena's pilot project demonstrates the energy saving potential in the accommodation sector and ways to exploit this potential. Concrete refurbishment properties are to serve as examples of economically, ecologically and socially acceptable concepts for the "hostel of the future".

Overview

  • Project start: 2015
  • Number of participants: 30
  • Funded by: Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy
  • Partners: Viessmann, Daikin
  • Media partners: Hotel & Technik, Superior Hotel

 

 

Model project for efficient houses

In dena’s ‘Model Project for Efficient Houses’, residential buildings have been being renovated to a high level of energy efficiency since 2003, and the same has been being done with municipal buildings, including mainly schools, since 2007.

Overview

  • Project term: 2003 – 2014
  • More than 400 residential and non-residential buildings throughout Germany renovated and assessed for energy efficiency
  • More than 300,000 m2 of living space refurbished
  • CO2 savings of over 3.7 million tonnes per year for residential buildings
  • Final energy consumption in the model projects reduced by an average of 80 per cent

"The Building Transition" Refurbishment Campaign

“The Building Transition” is the first nationwide, cross-sectoral refurbishment campaign. The campaign provides owners of detached and semi-detached houses with detailed information on all aspects of energy-efficient modernisation, and helps them locate qualified energy experts.

Overview

  • Campaign start: 2014
  • Number of partners: 24
  • Number of sponsors: 2
  • Number of regional cooperation partners: 16
  • Regional information events for homeowners: approx. 330
  • media reports triggered by the campaign: approx. 1,600
  • social medial reach: roughly 800,000 persons

Industrialization of energy-efficient refurbishment of apartment buildings

Serial refurbishment solutions such as the ‘Energiesprong’ concept combine digital planning and standardised processes with the prefabrication of façade and roof elements as well as energy modules. This means that existing buildings can be brought up to the climate-neutral NetZero standard quickly, easily and affordably.

Overview

  • Project start: 2017
  • Objective: Market development for serial refurbishment solutions
  • Partners: Property, construction and trade companies, component manufacturers, architectural firms and planning offices, industry associations, energy agencies and international ‘Energiesprong’ teams.

Ukraine: Municipal heating transition

Ukrainian cities are about to embark on a municipal heating transition, which can be made more sustainable and efficient with the help of support from and dialogue with German experts and companies. New business models and concepts are designed to help improve the municipal heating transition, and promote sustainable development and a switch to renewable energy sources in Ukrainian cities.

Overview

  • Start of the project: 2019
  • Duration of the project: August to December 2019
  • Objective of the project: Improvement and modernisation of municipal heat supply in Ukraine.