For several weeks, the government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for national mobilization to save energy, the prices of which have exploded and while the supply could deteriorate this winter due to the war in Ukraine.
With this in mind, Robert Habeck, the Minister of the Economy, presented a series of measures in July aimed at limiting gas consumption: "we must no longer heat above 19 degrees in public buildings, with the exception of course hospitals and social institutions,” he said in an interview with the daily Süddeutsche Zeitung.
“We are going to take decrees” in this direction, he added, according to an extract from this interview to be published on Saturday.
In addition, historic buildings and monuments will no longer have to be lit at night, a measure that some German cities such as Berlin have already adopted.
Awareness campaign
A campaign has been launched, aimed at professionals and individuals, to promote certain practices, such as lowering the air conditioning of buildings, favoring public transport or even buying a shower head that costs less water.
Many cities have already lowered the water temperature of swimming pools or urban lighting.
The municipality of Augsburg in Bavaria is even considering shutting down some traffic lights.
Germany depended at the beginning of June to 35% on Russian gas for its imports, against 55% before the war in Ukraine.
More than 50% of heating for homes is still provided by gas.