Source: Energy & Management Powernews, April 06, 2022
Energy-efficient new buildings will be promoted again, as announced by the Federal Ministry of Economics. Accordingly, from April 20 until the end of 2022, one billion euros are available for this purpose.
The new construction subsidy for residential and non-residential buildings under the Federal Promotion for Efficient Buildings (BEG) starts again. It is limited in this form until 31.12.2022, as the Federal Ministry of Economics announced. A budget of 1 billion euros is available. As of April 20, 2022, new applications can again be submitted to KfW for the "Efficiency House/Efficiency Building 40 (EH/EG40)-Neubauförderung mit modifizierten Förderbedingungen." It applies to buildings that have only 40% of the current energy demand in new construction.
Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) said, "I am very pleased that the new construction subsidy with an offer for residential and non-residential buildings can soon start again." This is a measure to reduce energy consumption in new buildings, he said. One must be prepared that the budget will be exhausted very quickly, Habeck said. In order to nevertheless enable as many applicants as possible to receive funding, the funding rates had been halved.
Tougher efficiency and no more gas heating
Before, buildings that consumed half as much energy as standard new buildings (EH/EG55) had also been funded. Therefore, the Ministry had completely stopped the promotion at the end of January. In the new program, the installation of gas heating systems will also no longer be subsidized, Habeck explained. "This is politically indicated in all cases," said the minister with regard to Russia's war of aggression on Ukraine and the resulting sanctions.
"The new start of the new construction funding goes hand in hand with a gradual realignment of the new construction funding," said Habeck. The goal, he said, is to increasingly focus it on sustainability and efficiency. In parallel, he said, priority will be given to urgently needed refurbishment. "It is enormously important in order to make progress in climate protection in the building sector," the minister emphasized. Here there is great potential to save energy and thus costs.
Three steps of the realignment
The realignment of new construction funding is to take place in three steps. Step 1 is the restart of the EH-40 new construction grant, which will take place starting April 20, 2022. In the second step, if the budget for this year is exhausted, new construction funding will continue seamlessly in the EH40-Sustainability (EH40-NH) program with more demanding conditions. The EH40-Sustainability program now allows new construction funding only in combination with the Quality Seal for Sustainable Construction (QNG). This program in stage 2 is to apply until 31.12.2022.
The QNG seal has already been an optional part of BEG funding since mid-2021 (bonus as part of the so-called "sustainability class" of BEG) and will then become mandatory in the second stage. This will send a signal for the reorientation towards sustainable construction, the ministry announced. The third and final step will then be a new comprehensive program called "Climate-Friendly Construction" starting in January 2023. This program will further develop the quality seal for sustainable construction and will focus even more on greenhouse gas emissions in the life cycle of buildings. The exact adjustment of this program is currently still being worked out.
For more information on the conditions, see here.
Author: Susanne Harmsen