Press Releases - 29.11.2023
Eschborn, November 29, 2023 – Energy performance certificates provide detailed information on the energy status of properties and are valid for ten years. A recent analysis by Techem, a leading service provider for smart and sustainable buildings, shows that only one in five heating systems was replaced between the creation of the first and the second energy certificate (21 percent). This corresponds to around 9 thousand systems out of the total of 43,368 systems examined. At the time the first energy certificate was issued, the heating systems that were subsequently replaced were already 26.5 years old on average, according to data from the Techem Research Institute on Sustainability (TRIOS).
Image information: Although heating systems have to be replaced after 30 years, many systems are older (Copyright: Shutterstock / Alhim).
Age of heating systems quite high on average
Despite the Building Energy Act (GEG) passed in 2020, which requires the replacement of gas and oil heating systems from an age of 30 years, many of the systems replaced were older than permitted. This finding follows from the mean age of the systems determined when the energy certificate was first issued: Assuming an even replacement rate, the systems replaced were an average of 31.5 years old.
“The amended Building Energy Act is aimed at replacing old and inefficient heating systems and relying on renewable energy sources for new installations. The higher share of renewable energies in the future will bring us much closer to the goal of a decarbonized building stock. However, the focus should not only be on replacing older heating systems, but also on the operational management of the newly installed heating systems. After all, even new systems can operate inefficiently if they are not set properly. For this reason, monitoring and optimized operation management play an important role,” says Dr. Arne Kähler, Head of TRIOS.
This often proves to be complex: only one in five heating systems in Germany is set properly, and many even run continuously in the summer. Yet energy consumption, CO2 emissions and costs can be significantly reduced by using digital solutions. One example is Techem’s digital boiler room, which relies on monitoring and AI-supported detection of inefficient operation. With consistent application and optimized operational management, this can save an average of 15 percent of final energy and its costs, and thus avoid CO2 emissions.
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.
