The H factor in heating costs

09/15/2023

Source: Energy & Management Powernews

How is the efficiency class of the building reflected in the next gas bill? The Initiative Climate Neutral Germany comes in the worst case to the factor 7.

The world of housing divides into nine energy efficiency classes. From less than 30 (A+) to more than 250 (H) kWh per square meter ranges the spectrum, which the Building Energy Act in the annual final energy consumption depicts. A spectrum that also makes worlds visible in terms of energy costs. The Initiative Climate-Neutral Germany (IKND) took the heating law passed by the Bundestag on September 8 as an opportunity to calculate the average gas costs for households depending on the efficiency class for the year 2023. Result: the classes A and H separates a factor approximately of the size 7.

For average-sized houses of the worst energy efficiency class, the initiative estimates the annual gas costs at 5,775 euros - calculated with an energy consumption of 275 kWh per square meter and year. At the other edge of the residential universe, energy class A, the costs are therefore 840 euros. Who lives in a house of the Effenzienzklasse D - in the model calculation with 125  kWh per square meter and year - must estimate for gas 2,625 euro.

Similarly the result for dwellings precipitates. With a living space of 75 square meters and efficiency class H, the costs for gas add up to 2,888 euros. If the building reaches the class A, it is 420 euro, with class D 1,313 euro.

Also a question of social justice

"Unfortunately it is often forgotten that the heat change takes place substantially beyond the boiler room - namely in the floors above, by building reorganization. Only in such a way heating costs and above all the consumption of fossil energy are lowered durably , say IKND Gesch?ftsf?hrerin Carolin Friedemann.

Friedemann, which is also foundress of the IKND, arranges the computation as follows: ?With the Bundestag resolution to the building energy law now hopefully movement comes into the heat turn and at the same time peace into the debate. Because the uncertainty among people and companies is great. She also sees increasing efficiency in buildings as a question of social justice. "People with low incomes in particular live in the houses with poor energy efficiency. They would benefit disproportionately from falling heating costs," Friedemann said.

Author: Manfred Fischer