Opening of the BAU 2015 building trade fair in Munich
Germany’s building minister Barbara Hendricks is convinced that the building industry plays an important role in the transformation of Germany’s energy system and that building demands and climate mitigation and environmental protection requirements only appear to be mutually exclusive. At a meeting of experts organised by her ministry at the BAU 2015 trade fair in Munich, she today said that planners, architects, builders and the building materials industry had long since understood the necessity of reducing the energy consumption of buildings. She believes it to be her duty as minister in charge of environment and building to make sure that housing remains affordable while at the same time the necessary mitigation efforts take place. Hendricks unveiled new federal funding guidelines for the construction of high-efficiency buildings for schools, day-care centres and other educational facilities and announced a reform of the energy saving ordinance (Energieeinsparverordnung, EnEV) for 2016. After her speech, she presented innovation awards to several products exhibited at the BAU 2015 trade fair.
Hendricks further stated that in her capacity as building and environment minister she attached special importance to the cross-cutting strategy for climate-friendly building and housing. According to the minister, the CO2 building renovation programme would remain a core element of Germany’s climate and energy policy. In the period up to 2018, this programme would be further developed and consolidated and its funding increased by 200 million euros to reach 2 billion. Hendricks continued: "We have made energy efficiency an important pillar of the transformation of our energy system. Priority should be given to activities with the greatest effects. These include building envelope modernisation and the use of appropriate building technology. In the long term, the remaining energy demand should be covered by renewables."
Taking the lead, the German building ministry, in cooperation with building researchers, has already tested a new generation of buildings, called Effizienzhaus-Plus ("efficiency house plus"). These innovative buildings generate more energy than they use over the course of a year, which makes them models for an economically viable transition towards an almost greenhouse gas-neutral society.
The German building minister announced that new funding guidelines were now available for the construction of educational facilities complying with the tested Effizienzhaus-Plus standard. The guidelines provide incentives for testing the "energy plus" standard in model projects relating to day-care centres, schools and appropriate institutions of higher education. "I hope we will see a significant number of innovative municipal and private partners", Hendricks said.
In addition, Barbara Hendricks announced the re-writing of the energy saving ordinance by 2016. Amending the ordinance will allow the implementation of legal requirements imposed by the EU and introduction of the net zero energy building standard from 2019 for new public buildings and from 2021 for new private ones. The process will also include an assessment of how energy performance certificates for buildings can be made more transparent and comprehensible and how the renewable energies heat act (Erneuerbare-Wärme-Gesetz, EEWärmeG) and the energy saving ordinance can be better harmonised. Hendricks underlined: "I feel strongly about maintaining the cornerstones of our policy when continuing to develop energy saving legislation. That means building on cost-effectiveness while refraining from imposing specific technologies or mandatory renovation."
After her speech, Barbara Hendricks presented awards to the most innovative products exhibited at the BAU 2015 trade fair. The awards are granted by Messe München and the federal working group on refurbishment under the patronage of the German building minister Barbara Hendricks. The award winners were:
• Colt International GmbH of Kleve for the "ClimaTower", an appliance for energy-efficient heating, cooling and decentralised hot water production (compact micro heat pump with an astonishing COP of more than five)
• Eternit Flachdach GmbH of Neuss for the "essertop Karat" flatroof window (energy efficient product providing high visual comfort)
• HASIT Trockenmörtel GmbH of Freising for "HASIT Fixit 222 Aerogel" (highly insulating mineral lime plaster for inside and outside use)
• The Kiesel Bauchemie GmbH u. Co. KG company of Esslingen was awarded a special prize for the "Okalift SuperChange" system (allowing easy replacement and removal of wall and floor covering).
Six additional awards were given out at the ceremony.