Energetic renovation - measures and funding opportunities
Energy consumption has increased dramatically in recent decades, not only in Germany and other industrialized countries, but all over the world. Fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas are still the main sources of energy. Several million residential buildings are in the worst energy efficiency class H.
In addition, the combustion of oil, natural gas, coal and the like has an enormous impact on climate change. To counteract this, the topic of energy-efficient renovation is essential for all property owners. An energy-efficient refurbishment not only reduces the consumption of fossil fuels, but also reduces the need for energy and thus saves money. In addition, you can also receive lucrative subsidies from BAFA and KfW with the help of energy-efficient refurbishment. The installation of controlled domestic ventilation can make a decisive contribution to the amount of the subsidy. In this article, you can find out which subsidies are currently available, including for refurbishment with decentralized ventilation with heat recovery.
Guide topics:
- What is an energy-efficient refurbishment?
- What are the refurbishment obligations in Germany?
- Who promotes energy-efficient home renovation?
- Current subsidies for ventilation
- Examples of energy-efficient refurbishment
- Energy advice before modernization
- Measures for energy-efficient refurbishment
- Why is an energy-efficient refurbishment worthwhile?
- Q&A on energy-efficient refurbishment
What is an energy-efficient refurbishment?
Energy efficiency measures are used to minimize the energy consumption for heating, hot water and ventilation in a building. Energy-efficient refurbishment not only reduces the consumption of fossil fuels, but also reduces energy requirements and thus saves money. At the same time, owners make an effective contribution to the environment. This is because an energy-efficient renovation reduces CO2 emissions and encourages the use of renewable energies.
Overview of energy-efficient refurbishment measures
Obligations during refurbishmentWhen does a house need energy-efficient renovation?
Energy-efficient refurbishment is not necessarily an option for homeowners. As a result of political decisions and new legislation, such as the GEG, owners will be subject to new obligations from 2023. There is a legal obligation to renovate existing properties that were built before February 1, 2002 and are now changing hands as a result of a purchase, inheritance or gift. If the new owner does not comply with this regulation within two years, fines in the five-digit range may be imposed. In these cases, refurbishment includes insulating the unheated roof space and the heating and hot water pipes as well as thermal insulation measures on the building envelope. When renovating old buildings, even more far-reaching measures need to be implemented. Replacing the boiler plays a particularly important role here. From 2024, further energy refurbishment obligations are to be added, including for long-term owner-occupiers. Further refurbishment obligations could also be imposed by the EU in the future, with existing residential buildings having to achieve the minimum standard of efficiency class E by 2030.
WHO PROMOTES ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOME REFURBISHMENT?
As the GEG (Building Energy Act) also imposes certain obligations on homeowners with regard to energy-efficient refurbishment, there are various subsidies for energy-related measures. Homeowners who exceed the minimum requirements of the GEG receive special support. This can take the form of repayment subsidies. In conjunction with the KfW development bank, low-interest loans can initially be taken out for an energy-efficient refurbishment project. The BAFA also promotes individual measures within the framework of the BEG. Furthermore, costs can still be claimed for tax purposes.
Current subsidiesHow you can save with ventilation
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The BEG (federal funding for efficient buildings) was already realigned in the summer of 2022, and further reform steps have now followed since January 1, 2023, which focus more closely on the promotion of energy-efficient refurbishment measures. In addition to many individual measures, additional bonuses have also been increased as part of the BEG in order to promote refurbishment in an even more targeted manner. The promotion of ventilation systems is also part of the funding programs and can be a great support for building owners when renovating their homes. The options are varied and range from pure subsidies for individual measures from the BAFA to support through low-interest KfW loans. We give you an insight into the various funding options for energy-efficient building renovation and shed light on the current funding programs from KfW, BEG, BAFA & Co.
BAFA Federal funding for efficient buildings - individual measures
Individual measures for existing buildings to increase energy efficiency can be funded under the BEG.
- Who is eligible? All investors (e.g. homeowners, companies, non-profit organizations, municipalities) of eligible measures on residential and non-residential buildings.
- What? Individual measures on the building envelope; system technology (except heating, but e.g. ventilation systems); heat generation systems (heating technology); heating optimization; specialist planning and construction supervision.
- How much? With a minimum investment of €2,000, the subsidy rate is 15%; eligible expenditure is capped at €60,000 per residential unit per calendar year.
- How much? With a minimum investment of €2,000, the subsidy rate is 15%; the eligible expenditure is capped at €60,000 per residential unit per calendar year. with whom? BAFA; an energy efficiency expert must be involved in the application process. Applications are submitted directly to BAFA before the start of the project using the online form.
Tipp: iSFP
An additional 5% is available when implementing a refurbishment measure as part of an individual refurbishment roadmap (iSFP) funded under the “Federal funding for energy consulting for residential buildings” funding program. The iSFP provides building owners with a detailed overview of potential measures and their individual sequence. The roadmap is in turn 80% subsidized by BAFA.
Bonus for serial refurbishment
There is an additional bonus of 15% for the serial refurbishment of buildings at efficiency house level 40 or 55.
- Characteristics of serial refurbishment:
- Serially prefabricated building envelope
- Mostly plug-and-play technology
KfW BEG Residential Building Loan Efficiency House (261)
You can receive this subsidy if you achieve at least KfW Efficiency House Standard 85. KfW promotes these buildings with low-interest loans and repayment grants. The building should be at least 5 years old when you apply for funding.
- Who? All investors of eligible measures, e.g. private owners, homeowners' associations, non-profit organizations, housing cooperatives.
- What? Eligible for funding is the refurbishment of residential buildings that fall under the scope of the currently valid Building Energy Act (GEG) after all measures have been implemented. (at least KfW-EH 85).
- How much? The subsidy takes the form of a repayment grant for a subsidized loan. The maximum eligible amount per residential unit is €150,000.
- With whom? With the KfW. An energy efficiency expert must be involved in the application process. KfW will reimburse up to 50% of the costs. The application must be submitted to KfW before the start of the project.
Efficiency house standard | Repayment subsidy |
|---|---|
KfW 40EE | 25% of €150,000 = €37,500 |
KfW 40 | 20% of €120,000 = €24,000 |
KfW 55EE | 20% of €150,000 = €30,000 |
KfW 55 | 15% of €120,000 = €18,000 |
KfW 70EE | 15% of €150,000 = €22,500 |
KfW 70 | 10% of €120,000 = €12,000 |
KfW 85EE | 10% of €150,000 = €15,000 |
KfW 85 | 5% of €120,000 = €6,000 |
Tip: Bonus for Worst Performing Building
Since 2023, you can receive additional repayment subsidies of up to 10% for the refurbishment of buildings with a particularly low energy balance. The WPB bonus applies to refurbishments of KfW70/55/40 + EE buildings.
- Characteristics of the "Worst Performing Building":
- Energy requirement is worse than efficiency class H
- Year of construction before 1957
- At least 75% of the exterior walls are unrenovated
Do you have questions about energy-efficient refurbishment?
Getting funding for ventilation is not difficult! We will show you how it works and offer you a free proactive consultation on the funding options. In a 15-minute team meeting, our energy and ventilation expert will answer your questions and give you the most important tips and recommendations.
Tax deduction for energy-efficient refurbishment
In addition, energy-efficient home renovations are also tax-deductible. However, you would have to decide: either you take advantage of the tax benefit or a subsidy program. Combining the two does not work. If your home is at least ten years old, 20% of the costs for a renovation can be deducted. (maximum 40,000 euros per residential project) If you declare the refurbishment costs in your tax return each year, you will receive a refund spread over three years.
Energy-related construction supervision and specialist planning are also eligible for tax relief. 50% of the costs incurred are deductible. Further information on tax incentives for energy-efficient refurbishment can be found on the BMWi website.
Which energy measures are tax-deductible?
- Thermal insulation of walls, roof surfaces and ceilings
- Replacement of windows or exterior doors and improvement of thermal insulation in the summer months
- Replacement or installation of a ventilation system
- Renewal of the heating system
- Installation of digital systems to optimize energy operation and consumption
- Optimization of existing heating systems if they are more than 2 years old
Energy-efficient refurbishment using the example ofFacts & figures at a glance
Refurbishment - EEH KfW 55 EE
Object: Residential building with 2 residential units
Measures: Decentralized ventilation with heat recovery
Funding: KfW funding
Savings in primary energy demand: 191 kWh/m² per year | – 94 %
CO2 savings: 14.2 tons per year | – 90 %
Savings in fuel costs: € 3,617 | – 88 %
Responsible for the project: Werkgemeinschaft BAUEN+ENERGIE
Current: Refurbishment project with funding from the state of Thuringia
In a complex refurbishment project, 144 residential units were renovated from the basement to the roof. Decentralized ventilation units with heat recovery from inVENTer were also used. Read more about the pilot project, which received over 2.4 million euros in funding from the state of Thrüngen.
Energy advice in the course of an energetic renovation
An energy consultant should be consulted before embarking on an energy-efficient renovation of your own four walls. This will help to determine the actual condition of the property and derive the appropriate measures.
Energy advice from the consumer advice center is a cost-effective option. They are represented on the Internet with a website or with several advice centers per federal state. The consumer advice centers deal with all topics relating to the optimization of private energy consumption, such as thermal insulation, saving electricity or heating technology. Advice can be provided both at the advice center and in your own home. They offer a basic, building, heating, solar heating or detailed check of your own home. On the basis of this, a renovation concept is drawn up, from which the energy modernization measures for your building are derived.
As energy and CO2 are saved through the energy-efficient refurbishment of residential buildings, the federal government subsidized energy consulting for these buildings until November 2023. As a result of the federal government’s budget freeze, all subsidies for energy consulting have been paused until further notice.
Measures for energy-efficient refurbishmentWhat is involved in an energy-efficient refurbishment?
Even if the investment in energy efficiency measures initially appears to be cost-intensive, they lead to long-term independence from rising energy prices – whether professional thermal insulation, window replacement or heating with renewable energies – the measures for energy-efficient refurbishment are almost endless and definitely necessary to protect the environment and your wallet.
Tipp
Subsidies of up to 20% are possible when renewing an existing ventilation system. If the installation of ventilation with heat recovery is combined with a switch to an eligible heat pump, the ventilation can be subsidized by BAFA by up to 45%.
Decentralized ventilation systems for heat conservation
Decentralized ventilation systems do not produce any energy or heat, but they are very helpful in keeping the heat and fresh air in the house. By installing decentralized ventilation systems, the interior rooms are always supplied with fresh air without having to open a window for ventilation. This prevents 70% of the warm indoor air from escaping to the outside by opening the windows, especially in winter. In a well-insulated and sealed building (KfW 40), only a third of the heat required for heating is needed if ventilation with heat recovery is installed. The decentralized ventilation system transports the stale air and the excess moisture it contains outside and in turn supplies fresh new air. The ceramic heat accumulator installed in the system also transfers a large proportion of the heat contained in the exhaust air back into the room, largely preventing heat loss. In this way, around 90 % of the ventilation heat loss can be counteracted.
Advantages of ventilation with heat recovery in energy-efficient refurbishment
Controlled ventilation is versatile. On the one hand, it can provide a remedy in new builds, but especially in building renovations. Decentralized domestic ventilation is one of the most efficient measures for modernizing the energy efficiency of a building. These include detached houses, offices, schools and daycare centers. However, multi-family houses also offer massive savings potential if ventilation is also considered during renovation. Ventilation systems in particular can make a major contribution, as they can be retrofitted quickly and easily. Whether clinker brick facades, interior bathrooms or listed buildings – inVENTer has a wide range of ventilation solutions that can be used in the renovation of apartments, houses and other buildings. The devices make a fundamental contribution to a constant exchange of air without the need to regularly open windows. This not only helps to preserve the building, but can also reduce heating costs by up to 30 %.
Reduce fuel costs
Saving carbon dioxide
Reduce primary energy demand
Achieve EE standard
Replacement of windows to minimize heat loss
Old windows in particular often lead to considerable heat loss as thermal bridges, resulting in increased heating costs. These heat losses can be reduced by installing multi-layer insulating glass windows. The high level of thermal insulation provided by insulating glass is mainly due to the inert gas in the space between the insulating glass panes. The window panes also reflect the heat radiation, which reduces further heat loss.
In addition to the pane, the frame also plays an important role. This should have the same thermal resistance as the window panes themselves. For ecological reasons, the use of tropical wood should be avoided. Modern windows not only help to reduce heat loss, but can also contribute to heat recovery. The GEG now also sets minimum requirements for window frames and glazing.
In winter, large south-facing windows can be used for heat recovery if the sunlight is favorable. In summer, however, these large window areas can potentially overheat the rooms, making sun protection, ventilation or air conditioning necessary. Such interactions must be taken into account both when planning a new building and when renovating an old building.
Heating with renewable energies
The burning of fossil fuels can be reduced or avoided entirely through the use of renewable energies. In addition, the emission of carbon dioxide, which is produced by burning fossil fuels, is reduced. Renewable energy can be generated using solar heat, biomass or a heat pump.
For the use of solar heat, a solar thermal system is required, whose roof-mounted collectors convert the solar radiation into usable heat. This is absorbed by a water-antifreeze mixture and diverted by the circulation pump into a water storage tank. The heat in the storage tank is then transferred to the drinking water via a heat exchanger. As a rule, the solar heating system is completely sufficient for heating drinking water in summer. In winter, however, the heating still has to be used. As a result, a solar system is able to heat the drinking water up to 70 percent. However, the heating demand is only covered by larger systems, and then not completely. The collectors required to generate solar heat should ideally be installed at a 45-degree angle to the south side.
Biomass can be obtained from specially cultivated energy crops, wood or from residual materials such as straw, harvest waste, organic waste and liquid manure. To generate heat in private households, however, only the use of a pellet heating system is suitable, in which pellets from natural waste wood are burned. These pellet central heating systems can replace the conventional oil and natural gas heating systems. In addition, the environmentally friendly pellet heating systems are equally user-friendly.
Heating systems with heat pumps, which have been in use for around 30 years, are technically mature and also reliable. These heating systems absorb the heat either from the groundwater in the ground or from the ambient air and transfer it to the heating system or the water to be heated. Since the temperatures in the groundwater are more constant, geothermal heat pumps are more efficient than pumps that draw their heat from the ambient air.
Photovoltaic systems
The installation of a PV system can also make a major contribution to energy-efficient refurbishment. With this measure, solar energy is converted into electricity and stored. Electricity generated during the day is therefore not lost and can continue to be used at night. Users can feed surplus electricity into the public grid.
Insulation from the cellar to the roof
Insulating the roof, basement ceiling and façade reduces heat loss and minimizes the heating of the building in summer. There are various approaches to this. These now also include sun protection measures using external roller blinds or awnings. The most important aspect of thermal insulation is that it is carried out professionally, taking into account the physical conditions of the façade. When insulating external walls and replacing windows, care should be taken to ensure that the windows are still the coldest part of the façade. If this is not the case and the wall itself is the coldest point, this can lead to moisture on the wall and ultimately to mold growth. There are three main types of thermal insulation: core insulation, internal insulation and external insulation. These are briefly explained below.
Core insulation
With core insulation, the insulating materials are installed between the shells of the masonry of an external wall. This form of thermal insulation is easy and effective to implement in both new builds and renovations. While insulating mats, e.g. made of mineral wool, are used in new builds, it is possible to blow the insulating material through holes in the cladding for subsequent insulation.
Interior insulation
Interior insulation refers to all insulation measures that are carried out in the house. This includes roof insulation, insulation of storey ceilings and interior wall insulation. Similar problems can also occur when using mineral wool without a vapor barrier for interior insulation. However, such difficulties can be ruled out with a prior assessment by an energy consultant.
External insulation
External insulation defines the structure of the external wall using additional insulation materials. External insulation can be implemented as an energy measure in the form of external thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS), curtain-type, rear-ventilated façades or as core insulation of double-skin masonry.
Fazit - Energetische Sanierung
Bringing your home up to the latest energy standards initially incurs costs, and this can certainly be considered a genuine investment. However, the operation of outdated systems is also becoming increasingly cost-intensive, as fossil fuels are becoming more and more expensive due to increasing scarcity. In the medium to long term, energy-efficient refurbishment is therefore also financially worthwhile. In addition, the increase in the value of your own property, which has been created through energy-efficient renovation, can be seen as an advantage. In addition, living comfort in your own home increases, as professionally installed thermal insulation has positive side effects such as sound and moisture protection. In many cases, energy-efficient refurbishment also improves both fire protection and the lifespan of the building fabric.
FAQ about energy-efficient refurbishment
Sense
Why does it make sense to install a ventilation system after an energy-efficient renovation?
On the one hand, the building is insulated as a result of the numerous energy-saving measures, and on the other hand, it is immensely sealed as a result. Controlled domestic ventilation can offer great advantages in the course of refurbishment. It ensures sufficient air exchange and also saves energy.
Comparison
Which energy-efficient refurbishment is most worthwhile?
Every building is individual and so is its refurbishment. The best overview is provided by a renovation roadmap with individual measures for your building.
Costs
What are the costs of an energy-efficient refurbishment?
This depends on the individual refurbishment projects themselves and differs depending on the design.
Combination
Can BAFA & KfW subsidies be combined?
No, a combination of both measures is currently not possible.