German industry calls for faster climate-friendly refurbishment of buildings

The Federation of German Industries (BDI) wants a better framework for the climate-friendly refurbishment of buildings, they said in a position paper published this week. In its 12-point-plan for faster CO2 savings in the buildings sector, the BDI says buildings are responsible for around 40 percent of energy consumption in Germany and 30 percent of CO2 emissions. "Without a wave of renovations, the German government can never achieve its climate goals,” the association writes. They say that achieving CO2 reductions in the buildings sector is getting more challenging in view of the new EU climate target for 2030, which means that Germany will probably have to save an additional 17 million tonnes of CO2 in the sector. "Together with the expected shortfall in CO2 reductions of up to 17 million by 2030, this results in a total shortfall of 34 million tonnes of CO2 in the buildings sector," they calculate.

Economically viable technologies for renovation are available, but the political framework conditions are lacking, according to the federation. "The German climate action programme 2030 needs an update," BDI deputy managing director Holger Lösch said in a press release. The BDI therefore calls for a “stimulus” in the form of tax incentives for energy-efficient building renovation and wants the existing subsidy programmes to be simplified.

Last year, Germany achieved its overall climate target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent, according to the Federal Environment Agency (UBA). The exception is the building sector, which emitted about two million tonnes of CO2 more than allowed, mostly caused by heating. Germany’s climate law stipulates that the responsible ministry of interior must propose an emergency programme within four months with measures to ensure the targets of the next years will be reached.