Key Indicators & Decisions (KI&Ds) – Germany – 2020

01.01

Definition of public buildings (according to article 9 b)

Non-residential buildings which are owned and used by public authorities

Described in §2a (1) of the Energy Saving Act

01.02

Definition of public buildings used by the public (according to article 13)

The owner of a building used by public authorities and with more than 250 m² frequently used by the public has to display an EPC.

Described in Article 16 (3) of the Energy Saving Ordinance

01.03

Number of residential buildings

19,000,000

Destatis (Federal Statistical Office of Germany) https://www.destatis.de/

01.04

Number of non-residential buildings

3,500,000 non-residential buildings

Dämmbarkeit des deutschen Gebäudebestands; Beuth Hochschule für Technik Berlin, ifeu- Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung Heidelberg; Juli 2015

01.05

If possible, share of public buildings included in the number given in 01.04

175,000

Dena, 2018

01.06

If possible, share of commercial buildings included in the number given in 01.04

 undocumented

01.07

Number of buildings constructed per year (estimate)

145,016 (2018)

146,012 (2017)

154,258 (2016)

Average over last 2 years: 145,514

Number of building permits for construction of new

(source: destatis)

01.08

If possible, share of residential buildings constructed per year (estimate, included in the number given in 01.07)

Approx. 117,869 (2018)

119,060 (2017)

125,157 (2016)

Average over last 2 years: 118,464

Number of building permits for residential new buildings

(source: destatis)

01.09

If possible, share of non-residential buildings constructed per year (estimate, included in the number given in 01.07)

27,147 (2018)

26,952 (2017)

29,101(2016)

26,533 (2015)

Average over last 4 years: 27,433

Number of building permits for new buildings

(source: destatis)

01.10

Useful floor area of buildings constructed per year in million square meters (estimate)

31,547 (2019)

30,589 (2018)

30,377 (2017)

31,805 (2016)

28,510 (2015) living space only

Average over last 3 years: 28,938

No data available for total constructed floor area

(source: destatis)

02.01

Are building codes set as overall value, primary energy, environment (CO₂), reference building or other?

See below

02.02

Requirements for energy performance of residential buildings in current building code

- A maximum non-renewable primary energy demand which is determined individually for each building using a reference building with similar geometry, orientation and use, but with a certain quality of all energy-relevant systems and components

AND

- A requirement for the energy performance of the building’s thermal envelope which is determined by using the reference building approach

The reference building approach is used.

In addition, a minimum quota of RES is used for heating, domestic hot water and cooling; the quota is different for the different technologies.

02.03

Requirements for energy performance of non-residential commercial buildings in current building code

- A maximum non-renewable primary energy demand which is determined individually for each building using a reference building with similar geometry, orientation and use, but with a certain quality of all energy-relevant systems and components

AND

- A requirement for the energy performance of the building’s thermal envelope which is determined by a certain set of maximum U-values for opaque and transparent U-values respecting the design indoor temperature of the building’s zones

The reference building approach is used.

In addition, a minimum quota of RES is used for heating, domestic hot water and cooling; the quota is different for the different technologies.

02.04

Requirements for energy performance of non-residential public buildings in current building code

See 02.03

02.05

Is the performance level of nearly zero energy (NZEB) for new buildings defined in national legislation?

The Energy Saving Act, which was amended in 2013, includes a verbal description of the NZEB (in accordance with the EPBD).

The GEG defines the NZEB standard. The NZEB standard is consistent with the current specified level of the energy performance of buildings.  

02.06

Nearly zero energy (NZEB) level for residential buildings (level for building code)

No

See 02.02 and 02.05

02.07

Year / date for nearly zero energy (NZEB) as level for residential buildings (as indicated in 02.04)

In force since 2016

For all residential buildings

02.08

Nearly zero energy (NZEB) level for all non-residential buildings (level for building code)

In force since 2016

See 02.03

02.09

Year / date for nearly zero energy (NZEB) as level for non-residential buildings (as indicated in 02.06)

In force since 2016

02.10

Are nearly zero energy buildings (NZEB) defined using a carbon or environment indicator?

No

See 02.02 and 02.03

02.11

Is renewable energy a part of the overall or an additional requirement?

There is a minimum quota of RES used for heating, domestic hot water and cooling; the quota is different for the different technologies.

It is part of the overall requirement as well as an additional requirement.

The overall performance requirement (non-renewable primary energy demand) also includes the necessary use of RES. In addition, the heating and cooling load of new buildings must be at least partially covered by systems using RES.

02.12

If renewable energy is an additional requirement to NZEB, please indicate level

See above

02.13

Specific comfort criteria for new buildings, provide specific parameters for instance for airtightness, minimum ventilation rates

Comfort criteria are defined in several legal acts not addressing energy efficiency but health and workplace issues.

These comfort criteria are respected within the marginal conditions when calculating the energy performance of new/existing buildings.

Partly

04.01

Number of energy performance certificates per year (for instance average or values for of 3-5 years)

2017: 456,503

2018: 819,324

2019: 569,638

Average over three years: 615,155

In 2019, 12% of EPCs were issued for new residential buildings, 82% for existing residential buildings, 1% for new non-residential buildings and 4% for existing non-residential buildings.

2,984,554 EPCs were issued from May 2014 (start of registration) to December 2019.

Data taken directly from the registration scheme

04.02

Number of EPCs since start of scheme

2,984,254 (status end of 2019)

In 2019, 272,814 EPCs based on energy consumption and 296,824 EPCs based on energy demand were issued.

On 1 May 2014, the new Energy Saving Ordinance came into force and implemented the registration of EPCs. Prior to that, EPCs were not registered in Germany.

Data taken directly from the registration scheme

04.03

Number of EPCs for different building types

04.04

Number of assessors

31,422

Not all assessors issue EPCs based on energy consumption and energy demand and inspection reports.

Assessors have to register to be able to draw EPC registration numbers. It is unknown how active each assessor is.

04.05

Basic education requirements for assessors

For new buildings: assessors have to be authorised to sign plans for building permits.

For existing buildings in general: architects and engineers with relevant vocational training in combination with proven work experience in the field of energy efficiency.

Exclusively for existing residential buildings and with additional vocational training:

• master craftsmen in building trades;
• building and building services technicians;
• interior architects.

Engineer or architectural degree with a core specialisation in energy efficiency or after the degree two years of work experience in energy efficiency or additional training.

The requirements for new buildings are in the responsibility of the regions.

04.06

Additional training demands for assessors

See 04.05

Certified course.

To be able to sign applications for subsidies, additional continuous vocational training is required.

04.07

Quality assurance system

When an EPC is checked, the qualification of the assessor is verified as well.

04.08

National database for EPCs

The independent control system works without general data storage in a central database. A commissioned and authorised body ('Deutsches Institut für Bautechnik - DIBt') holds a central EPC register without generally collecting the contents of the issued EPC. For the purpose of later long-time storage in a database, the collected datasets have to be anonymised to secure data privacy for property owners, which is held in high esteem in Germany.

The anonymised data of the EPCs belong to the regions. Only certain information can be drawn from those data sets.  

The register collects data from the assessor concerning the name and address of the assessor, the type of EPC issued and the type and location of the building. Each certificate receives an individual registration number and is part of the random quality checks. The contents of the certificate and additional input data are only collected for certificates that are drawn as part of the random samples.

04.09

Link to national information on EPCs / Database

05.01

Is there a national definition of smart buildings?

No

05.02

Are there current support systems for smart buildings?

05.03

Are there currently specific requirements for technical building systems (for instance in building codes)?

Yes

05.04

Are there current requirements for automatics (for instance in building codes)?

63 GEG: Room by room settings for temperature

05.05

Chosen option A or B for heating systems (inspection or other measures)

Other, equivalent measures

Option B

This choice was made considering the long tradition of system requirements in Germany (thermostatic valves, pipe insulation, time- and weather-driven controls), the compulsory measurement scheme for flue-gas losses and pollutants of boilers, established since 1982 and the mandatory update requirements concerning the replacement of old boilers and the insulation of heat distribution and hot water pipework.

Since these measures were already in place when the EPBD was due for transposition, a further inspection scheme was not considered necessary.

05.06

Number of heating inspections; reports per year (if option A)

Option B was chosen

05.07

Chosen option A or B for cooling systems (inspection or other measures)

Inspection

Option A

A combination of recurrent inspections and compulsory regular maintenance was established in 2007. The provisions in the Energy Saving Ordinance were amended in 2013 to introduce a registration and control system for inspection reports.

05.08

Number of air-conditioning / cooling system inspections; reports per year (if option A)

In 2017 (starting in May), 2018 and 2019, a total of 11,372 new inspection reports were registered.

2017: 4,316

2018: 4,270

2019: 2,786

Data directly from registration scheme.

05.09

Is there a national database for heating inspections?

No, Germany runs an alternative system.

Boilers are included as part of a central register for furnaces (for safety and environmental issues).

05.10

Is there a national database for cooling / air-conditioning inspections?

Central register including only macro-data, see 4.1

Due to data security, a database containing the full reports is prohibited.

05.11

Are inspection databases combined with EPC databases for registration of EPCs and inspection reports?

Registration of inspections (macro-data, see 4.1) through a combined register with EPCs.

05.12

Link to national information on Inspection / Database