How can I renovate my property to make it more energy efficient?

The current crises clearly show us that buildings need to become more climate-friendly. But what can owners do to reduce CO₂-emissions and save costs? Who has to retrofit and how by law? How can the changeover support sales?

In the Building Energy Act, homeowners are obliged to retrofit outdated gas and oil boilers with a constant temperature boiler and a rated output of 4 to 400 kilowatts. However, even if it does not affect long-time owners of detached and semi-detached houses who lived in their property before February 2002, it is worthwhile upgrading the energy efficiency of their home before the change of ownership.

Because new builds are hardly affordable, some prospective buyers are specifically looking for old and cheaper existing properties. Buyers have to dig into their own pockets for the energy conversion. In order to increase the sales proceeds and make the old existing property more attractive, owners can anticipate and improve the energy class through suitable measures. To make energy-efficient renovations more affordable, the state supports the project via the KfW Bank with funding rates that vary depending on the measure.

Retrofitting boilers - check what is possible

Not all heating systems can be integrated into every property. It should therefore be checked with an expert beforehand whether and with how much effort a heat pump or pellet burner, for example, can be retrofitted. An independent energy consultant and a specialist tradesman can support owners. Property owners can also use the "Heating Check 2.0" procedure standardized in specialist companies to assess the heating system. However, the local estate agent can also help owners to find a suitable expert if there are various time constraints. Most heating systems can also be combined with solar energy as a hybrid variant.

Thermal insulation, replacing windows, generating sustainable electricity

Many old existing properties have either poor insulation or none at all. And the windows are also sometimes not at an optimum energy level. As a result, too much heat is lost to the outside. Here too, an expert should be consulted to see what the situation is and what can be done to improve the heat transfer coefficient (U-value) of windows and insulation, for example. The lower the U-value, the less heat is lost. In addition to the usual insulating materials, it is now also possible to insulate with seagrass, which offers many advantages as a material. Photovoltaic systems also ensure more climate-friendly electricity generation. If you want to go even further, a green roof or façade can provide heat protection in summer and additional thermal insulation in winter. In addition, the life of the roof is extended by around ten years due to the protection against hail and other weather influences.

Would you like to renovate your home to make it more energy efficient or do you have questions about selling? Then contact us. We will advise you - free of charge and without obligation.

Notes

For reasons of better readability, the generic masculine is used in this text. Female and other gender identities are explicitly included where this is necessary for the statement.

Legal notice: This article does not constitute tax or legal advice in individual cases. Please consult a lawyer and/or tax advisor to clarify the facts of your specific individual case.

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