Property owners are currently going through tough times. To combat climate change, the EU has adopted stricter regulations regarding the energy efficiency of buildings. By 2030, properties in Europe are to achieve low emissions. The target energy efficiency class E is being pursued.

Relevance for property owners in Germany

The requirement will hit homeowners hard. The costs of replacing a heating system or installing triple-glazed windows can put a huge strain on a homeowner's budget: a few thousand euros won't get you very far; rather, you'll need to budget for tens of thousands of euros. Since almost half of all properties don't meet the required standard, homeowners have a responsibility: swift action is needed.

European differences

This is where the economic standard of individual EU member states comes into play: Richer countries like Germany face stricter regulations than poorer countries like Romania. There are also plans to generally increase subsidies for retrofitting buildings: Funds from the European Emissions Trading System will thus benefit environmental protection.

Energy efficiency classes

To measure the environmental friendliness of household appliances, energy efficiency classes were invented by AH, representing the best and worst ratings. For property owners, a quick look at the energy performance certificate is sufficient to determine which energy class their home belongs to: The consumption-based certificate reflects the energy consumption of recent years. The demand-based certificate indicates the actual energy demand. Therefore, the latter is generally more informative than its counterpart.

Different parties – different opinions

Politically, Germany is divided: The CDU doesn't want to be too harsh on property owners, while the SPD and the Greens see this as an opportunity to step up their efforts in environmental protection. They are particularly drawn to the so-called Bottrop model: In this pilot area with 70,000 inhabitants, CO2 emissions were halved within a decade. How was this achieved? Numerous information events helped convince residents to, for example, replace old heating systems with more environmentally friendly alternatives.

Energy efficiency class E as the highest goal

If you don't have an energy performance certificate, architectural or engineering firms, or a certified energy consultant, can help. They all conduct an on-site assessment of the property to determine its energy efficiency and quickly identify any weaknesses in its performance.

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Notes

For the sake of readability, this text uses the generic masculine form. Female and other gender identities are explicitly included where relevant to the statement.

Legal notice

This article does not constitute tax or legal advice for any specific case. Please consult a lawyer and/or tax advisor to clarify the facts of your individual situation.

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