A step-by-step model for a long-term renovation schedule – a proposal for a new building renovation instrument

Panel: 5. Saving energy in buildings: The time to act is now

This is a peer-reviewed paper.

Authors:
Martin Pehnt, Ifeu – Institute for Energy and Environmental Research Heidelberg, Germany
Ulf Sieberg, BUND Landesverband Berlin, Germany

Abstract

In the long run, the demand for space heating in existing buildings has to be reduced by around 80 % in order to achieve ambitious climate protection goals. Current activities are not sufficient to reach this goal. Regulations take effect mostly when renovations are being carried out anyway. In most countries, they do not trigger retrofit activities as such. Financial support is an important instrument but, because of the often limited public budgets, it cannot be the only one.

This paper develops a long-term renovation plan based on a step-by-step model. The core of this concept is an obligation to renovate a building when certain energy parameters (final energy demand and CO2 emissions of a building) are exceeded. If that is not possible, technical or economic reasons have to be presented or a compensation fee paid. With this fee, financial funding for certain target groups can be provided (e.g. house owners with low income or social housing).

Every building has to meet the proposed values at any point in time. The final energy value is an indicator for the efficiency of the building envelope and of the heating system. The CO2 emissions take into account the quality of the energy source as well, such as the share of renewable heating. If the parameters of a building exceed the standards the owner decides whether he wants to renovate the whole building at once so it will meet the standard for the next decades or if he wants to renovate it step-by-step. Until 2050 the requirements should be reinforced every 5 years starting in 2017 to make sure that all buildings will have reached the very low energy standard.

This paper describes the concept, which is currently being discussed both on a federal level, based on a proposal by Friends of the Earth Berlin, and on a state level. It analyzes social, legal, economic and environmental pros and cons as well as the accompanying measures which are required to secure the social compatibility of such measures.