Speaking at the German Energy Agency's 2014 conference on energy efficiency today, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety Gunther Adler outlined current energy policy on the buildings sector.
Buildings play a key role in the Federal Government's Energiewende targets for the period to 2050. Great importance is given to the energy-related modernisation of existing buildings and urban sites, to increasing energy efficiency and to the switch to an energy supply based on renewables.
State Secretary Adler emphasised that combining the responsibilities for climate action and building in one ministry presented a great opportunity to implement a comprehensive sustainability target that is economically, ecologically and socially viable. With this in mind, discussions were held by all the relevant actors within the framework of the alliance for affordable housing and building about how the increasing demand for housing can be met in such a way that is both affordable and energy efficient.
In 2012 more than a third of the final energy consumed in Germany was used for heating in buildings, warm water and lighting. Adler stated: "We cannot achieve our energy efficient and climate action targets without the buildings sector. We will bring our collective competence to bear on this challenge. Our goal is to keep housing affordable in spite of the upcoming energy-related investments in the buildings sector."