Techem sees heat transition only achievable through technology

14.10.2025

Source: E & M powernews

While potential savings in user behavior are almost exhausted, technical measures offer enormous opportunities. This is shown by the latest Techem Atlas.

Energy prices in the building sector reached a new record level last year. According to evaluations of the Techem Atlas "Energy, Heat & Water 2025", energy prices have risen by 82 percent since 2021, while heating energy consumption has remained almost constant. According to the analysis, attempts to save energy through individual user behavior are reaching their limits. The savings potential has largely been exhausted, the company based in Eschborn, Hesse, said on October 14.

In order to save more energy and CO2, the results of the study show that much greater use should be made of technical means. By this, the company means, among other things, digitally controllable heating systems, more use of waste heat and the increased use of heat pumps, including in existing apartment buildings.

The analysis is based on the evaluation of around 100,000 apartment buildings with around 1.1 million apartments in Germany - and, according to Techem, is one of the most comprehensive of its kind and representative of the building sector. According to the metering and energy service provider, the average consumption costs per square meter have increased by 40 percent since 2021.

District heating with better emission values

The analysis shows that district heating is currently the most climate-friendly energy source in the multi-family housing stock. At the same time, however, 87% of buildings are still heated with fossil fuels, even though the proportion has fallen by 3%. According to Techem, the statutory CO2 cost allocation has hardly had any effect to date. Tenants still bear around 73 percent of CO2 costs, while landlords bear 27 percent. The incentive to invest in efficiency technologies therefore remains low.

In 2024, around 15.9 million euros in operating costs could be avoided through digital operational optimization. 65% of apartment buildings in Germany can already be read without entering the apartment, and 62% can be recorded completely remotely. Nevertheless, this puts Germany in 7th place in a European comparison, with countries such as Spain and the Netherlands further ahead. According to EU regulations, all buildings must be remotely readable by 2027.

The Techem Atlas also shows that around half of centrally heated apartment buildings are already technically suitable for the use of heat pumps. Replacing radiators would increase this proportion to 90 percent. According to the study, monitoring and digital control can save up to one additional tonne of CO2 per home per year - significantly more than individual user behavior.

Climate targets achievable if technology takes effect

The average emissions per home in 2024 were 1.5 tons of CO2 and therefore below the interim target of 1.8 tons set by the Climate Protection Act. Techem sees this as proof that technical solutions can enable the decarbonization of the building stock by 2045.

During a panel discussion following the presentation of the atlas, Techem CEO Matthias Hartmann emphasized that the heating transition cannot be achieved without technological openness and investment in digital systems. According to Hartmann, the combination of monitoring, AI-supported control and transparent consumption recording offers the greatest efficiency gains at a manageable cost.

Also taking part in the panel discussion were Kerstin Andreae, Chairwoman of the BDEW Executive Board, Claudia Kemfert, Professor of Energy Economics and Policy at DIW and Tanja Loitz from the climate protection organization "CO2 Online". Kemfert criticized the fact that the proportion of fossil fuels is still far too high. "The renovation rate must increase significantly," said the scientist, and with it the installation of heat pumps as a key technology. BDEW boss Andreae disagreed, stating that she considers heat pumps to be important. However, in her eyes, it is "one", but not "the" most important component of the heating transition. The expansion of district heating, for example, should not be neglected, nor should the sensible and essential expansion of the grids.

Among other things, Loitz emphasized the importance of addressing the uncertainties caused by political debates, for example. "You have to absorb the irritations on the market". Otherwise, not enough will happen on the part of landlords and homeowners.

Techem's "Atlas for Energy, Heat & Water 2025" is available on the company's website. Interested parties can also find an interactive map of Germany for the first time, with an overview of the data at the level of federal states, zip code regions and major cities.

Author: Heidi Roider