Press Releases - 04.10.2022
Eschborn, October 4, 2022 – Germany and Europe are facing a harsh winter. Climate change, the energy turnaround and securing energy supplies demand our full attention as well as swift action. Since the outbreak of the supply crisis, the energy transition is no longer only about decarbonization, but also about European dependence on energy imports from Russia. The Techem Consumption Characteristics Study 2021 (VKW Study) also confirms that a good 52 percent of homes in Germany are still heated with natural gas. The study provides comprehensive results and insights into the current situation. It is based on the evaluation and analysis of data on final energy and water consumption as well as costs for heating and hot water from 2.1 million German apartments in around 176,000 apartment buildings.
Much room for improvement in the energy efficiency of German real estate
Techem’s evaluations show that a large percentage of the properties surveyed have energy efficiency in need of improvement. The age of some of the heating systems is also still high. One third is older than 25 years and correspondingly inefficient. This considerable potential for renewing or switching to efficient technologies in heat generation emerges from the analysis of data from around 92,000 energy performance certificates currently issued. In addition, efficient and highly automated heating system operation is crucial for a low-emission real estate sector. For example, continuous heating monitoring and optimized operational management alone can increase the efficiency of conventional heat generation in existing buildings by around 15 percent. Optimal insulation of the building shell, in turn, offers potential savings of 30 to 50 percent. User behavior geared to saving energy, especially ventilation, can reduce consumption by a further 10 to 15 percent.
“In times of a gas crisis and in view of the necessary decarbonization in the building stock, all market participants must come together and jointly develop energy efficiency solutions. Here, scientific work enables us to identify energy-savings potential and derive urgently needed recommendations for action. Our Techem consumption data study shows the fields of action. Research projects such as BaltBest, which we conducted in cooperation with the European Training Center for the Housing and Real Estate Industry (EBZ), among others, also provide further recommendations for action. The data obtained in the process helps us to implement projects to reduce heating energy consumption together with strong partners such as GWH Immobilien Holding GmbH. The goal is to continue developing the measures implemented for a climate-neutral building stock by 2045,” explains Techem CEO Matthias Hartmann at a press conference held during EXPO REAL in Munich.
CO2e-emissions reduction – stagnation in consumption for room heating
The relevance of user behavior becomes clear once again when looking at the CO2e-emissions caused by room heating and domestic hot water in multifamily buildings. Adjusted for weather conditions, these fell by around 13 percent in 2020 compared to 2018 – in terms of living space or per unit of use – even though consumption for room heating and hot water virtually stagnated during this period. Consequently, the reason for this reduction in emissions is not due to changes in consumption patterns, but to changes in the energy mix and the associated changes in emission factors. “On the road to greater energy efficiency, we cannot get past the tenants,” Dr.-Ing. Arne Kähler, Head of the Techem Research Institute on Sustainability (TRIOS) and one of the authors of the study, also emphasizes. “Our goal must therefore continue to be to save energy with well thought-out digital solutions, to expand renewable and CO2-neutral energy sources as well as the necessary infrastructures, to establish them on a broad scale, and to continuously improve the use of energy by increasing efficiency, keeping an eye on the entire heat chain in the building from the apartment to the basement,” explains Kähler.
Heat pumps offer considerable potential for operational optimization
Electrically driven heat pumps also play a key role in the energy transition and the necessary reduction in dependence on natural gas and other fossil fuels. According to the Federal Statistical Office, almost every second heating system in new buildings was a heat pump in 2020. At 50.6 percent, heat pumps were thus the preferred primary heat generation system in 2021 – and the trend is rising sharply. While the share for single- and two-family homes was 53.9 percent, it was 30.6 percent for multifamily homes. It is to be expected that these figures will continue to rise significantly in the coming years. Our study shows that the dormant efficiency potential of heat pumps in existing buildings, at a good 50 percent, is enormous.
“By combining all the measures to improve the building shell, the behavior of the occupants, and plant efficiency, it would even be possible – as the available data shows us – to tap into a total potential for avoiding around 20 million t CO2e in the German multifamily housing stock,” concludes Matthias Hartmann.
Panel discussion on energy issues of the future at EXPO REAL
Techem presented the results of the VKW study at a press conference at EXPO REAL in Munich on October 4. On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Techem Endowed Chair for Energy Issues in the Real Estate Industry at the European Education Center for the Housing and Real Estate Industry (EBZ), the partners also organized a panel discussion together with GWH Immobilien Holding GmbH. In addition to the results of the Techem VKW study and the final results of the BaltBest research project, the focus was on burning energy issues of the future.
Curious? More results of the Techem Consumption Characteristics Study 2021 on energy consumption and CO2-emissions in German apartment buildings will be made available in the weeks to come. The comprehensive study report is available for download here.
About the consumption characteristics study
Techem’s “Consumption and CO2-Figures 2021” documents the energy and water consumption as well as the costs for heating and hot water in German apartments. The analysis is essentially based on data from calendar year 2020, which was collected anonymously as part of regular evaluations of consumption statements from around 2.1 million apartments in 176,000 apartment buildings and used to prepare the heating cost statement. Due to the great interest in the study, Techem has been publishing the energy data as a brochure since the 1998/99 heating period. Interested parties can find the complete results of the VKW study here (German version only).
About BaltBest
The partners in the “BaltBest” research project investigated whether and how improved building technology and its optimized operational management can leverage significant efficiency potential and significantly reduce CO2-emissions from buildings.
Members of the research consortium are the GdW Bundesverband deutscher Wohnungs- und Immobilienunternehmen (Federal Association of German Housing and Real Estate Companies), the universities EBZ Business School – University of Applied Sciences and the Technische Universität Dresden, the housing companies Nassauische Heimstätte | Wohnstadt, GWH, Vonovia, LEG, DOGEWO21, Spar- und Bauverein eG Dortmund, and WMB (Wohnungsbaugesellschaft Berlin-Mitte), the energy service providers Techem and ista, and the manufacturers Bosch Thermotechnik, Viessmann, and Danfoss.
About Techem
Techem is a leading service provider for smart and sustainable buildings. The company's services cover energy management and resource conservation, residential health and process efficiency in real estate. Founded in 1952, the company is now active in 18 countries with around 4,300 employees and services more than 13 million homes. Techem offers efficiency improvements along the entire value chain of heat and water in real estate. As the market leader in remote radio detection of energy consumption in homes, Techem continues to drive networking and digital processes in real estate. Modern radio smoke detectors with remote inspection and services related to improving drinking water quality in properties complement the solution portfolio for the housing industry. For more information, visit www.techem.com/corp/en.
