All about the revised energy savings decree

On May 01 the revised version of the EnEV 2014 will come into force. What is important and what do building owners have to watch out for in the future? We summarized the most important alterations for you.

Starting from January 1, 2016, the energetic requirements for new buildings will be raised drastically. That is one of the decree‘s core statements, which probably will affect builders the most. The annual primary energy consumption allowance will be lowered by 25 per cent, whereas insulation will have to be improved by around 20 per cent. Regarding that it is essential to meet certain deadlines: Anyone who wants to build in accordance to the former EnEV standards has to lodge the building application before January 1, 2016. That deadline applies for building projects requiring permission as well as the ones without the need for permission. Another essential element of the revised EnEV is the new energy certificate: From 2014 onwards an additional categorization is planned for energy efficiency classes from A+ to H.

The more stringent requirements for a building‘s energy efficiency are only the first step on the way to a generally binding EU-nearly zero energy buildings standard. That standard is planned to apply bindingly to the European Union in 2021 at the latest. Using alternative energy sources will be of particular importance in that matter.