What is human does not necessarily have to be good in the end. It is humane to secure funding quickly when the end is near. It’s bad when so many people claim funding in this way that the community can no longer support it. This is what happened with the subsidies for so-called efficiency houses. They should be phased out, at least in part, by the end of this month. Applications for over 20 billion euros were received within just under three months. And now, a week before the deadline, the federal government has suspended all funding. It’s a disaster with an announcement.
And that for everyone involved. For those applicants who may now no longer be able to benefit from funding received by thousands before them. For the new federal government, which, as one of its first official acts in the area of climate protection, is shaking confidence in government commitments. And for all those who wanted to energetically renovate older buildings, but now got caught up in the whirlpool of the funding freeze. In view of the many applications, it may be that the federal government had no choice but to pull the ripcord. But the consequences go far.
As with any disaster, there is a lesson to be learned from this one. The applications for “Efficiency Houses 55” alone amounted to 14 billion euros, and another four billion for the even more climate-friendly “Efficiency Houses 40”. Both types of construction are already enjoying a certain popularity – which would speak in favor of making them the standard right away. Not only the state would save a lot. In view of the high energy costs, anyone who lives in an efficient house can count themselves lucky. However, if the state subsidizes investments with many billions that would have been made anyway, then it only generates deadweight effects at the expense of the general public.
But that is symptomatic of all previous incentives for climate protection in buildings. Literally the largest open climate construction site of any federal government is here, because around a third of all climate-damaging emissions are attributable to the building sector, and the majority of houses in this country are light years away from today’s standards. But Germany cannot be rebuilt just like that, and on top of that, the desire for buildings that are as climate-friendly as possible clashes with the desire for plenty of affordable living space: the higher the standard, the more demanding and expensive the construction.
Around half of all buildings in this country are more than 50 years old
Politicians have therefore been using a common tool for many years: the watering can. She generously distributed funds for both the renovation and the new building. So she didn’t have to mess with anyone, because standards in construction – and even more so in the inventory – are unpopular. In terms of energy efficiency, that wasn’t particularly efficient. In relation to the voters’ favour, however, yes. This method has now reached its limits.
So it’s high time to design an efficient architecture for the distribution. Funding should focus on those buildings in which a particularly large amount of energy can be saved. Around half of the 19 million buildings in this country are more than 50 years old – and were therefore built before the first oil crisis, when energy standards were born. to promote refurbishment most strongly where the building envelopes are uninsulated and the windows are thin; taking on entire neighborhoods and not only looking at the refurbishment but also at the heat supply – that would be efficient.
This also includes a critical look at the new building itself. Because no matter how efficient a new building may be, the energy required for its construction is not, if only because of the predominant building material cement. This also puts a strain on the climate, but so far it has not played a role. But if it were to play one, then alternative building materials such as wood would also have a better chance. And some older buildings would be renovated – and not demolished and rebuilt. It’s time for such a promotion inventory. And if the disaster of these days triggers them, then it would even have its good side.