Heat pumps are by far the number one choice in new residential construction

June 12, 2026

Source: E & M powernews

Within a decade, heat pumps have become by far the most important heating technology in new residential construction in Germany. Natural gas heating systems are declining dramatically.

In 2025, 73.6 percent of completed residential buildings were heated with a heat pump. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) announced this when presenting data on heating systems in new residential buildings for the year 2025. This means the share of heat pumps has more than doubled compared to 2015. At that time, it stood at 31.4 percent, according to the statisticians.

According to Destatis, a total of approximately 58,900 residential buildings were completed in 2025. In the previous year, the share of heat pumps in new construction had been 69.4 percent. “Heat pumps are used primarily in single-family and two-family homes.” In these types of homes, the systems were installed as the primary heating technology in 77.9 percent and 78.4 percent of newly constructed buildings, respectively. In multi-family homes with three or more units, the share was significantly lower at 52.7 percent.

At the same time, the overall importance of renewable energy in the building sector is increasing, the agency added. In 2025, 78.2 percent of newly constructed residential buildings were heated primarily with renewable energy. Ten years earlier, this share had been only 38 percent. In addition to heat pumps, this includes wood-fired heating systems (3.5 percent), solar thermal energy (0.6 percent), as well as biogas and other biomass sources.

At the same time, natural gas continues to lose ground in new construction. While 51.5 percent of completed residential buildings were still primarily heated with gas in 2015, that share dropped to 10.5 percent by 2025. Compared to the previous year, this represents a decline of 15.0 percent.

District heating was the third most important heating energy source in new construction in 2025, accounting for 8.3 percent. “In 2025, oil-fired heating systems were used as the primary heating source in only 190 new residential buildings, representing 0.3 percent of all new construction.”

The trend toward heat pumps is also evident in building permits. Of the approximately 62,100 residential buildings approved in 2025, 87 percent are expected to be heated primarily with renewable energy. In 83 percent of cases, a heat pump is planned as the primary heating source. “Natural gas, as the most common conventional energy source, is playing an increasingly smaller role—with a share of 2.2 percent—even in the planning of new residential buildings.”

In the existing building stock, however, the situation remains different. According to the results of the 2022 census, 53.9 percent of residential buildings in Germany were heated primarily with natural gas. Another 24.7 percent used heating oil. Renewable energy sources accounted for only 10.2 percent of the existing building stock. Heat pumps or heating systems based on solar or geothermal energy, as well as environmental and exhaust air heat, were used in 4.2 percent of residential buildings.

Author: Stefan Sagmeister