Habeck's energy saving measures: These rules apply from October 1st

Created: 09/23/2022, 12:10 p.m

By: Patricia Huber

Robert Habeck would like to fight the crisis with a series of energy saving regulations.

As of October 1st, new rules will therefore come into force.

Berlin – In August, Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) presented his Energy Saving Ordinance.

This is intended to significantly reduce energy consumption in Germany in three steps.

The first step was the short-term effective measures to secure the energy supply.

These came into effect on September 1st.

Since then, for example, advertising structures can no longer be illuminated from 10 p.m. to 4 p.m. the following day, as can buildings and monuments.

In addition, "workplaces in non-public non-residential buildings" may only be heated up to 19 degrees.

Habeck's energy saving measures: This applies from October 1st

The second step in Robert Habeck's energy saving plan will follow on October 1st.

From then on, the medium-term effective measures will apply for two years.

These concern the following areas:

Obligation to check and optimize heating

: All owners of buildings with gas heating must have their heating checked within the next two years.

Mandatory hydronic balancing for owners of large buildings with a central heating supply:

As long as a so-called hydronic balancing has not yet been carried out in large buildings with gas heating, this will be mandatory for the next two years.

As a result, gas consumption can be reduced – the owner has to bear the costs for the hydraulic balancing.

Large buildings include residential buildings with six residential units or more and companies with public buildings with more than 1,000 square meters.

Exceptions apply here if:

• The heating system in the current configuration has already been hydraulically balanced.

• A heating system replacement or thermal insulation of at least 50 percent of the heat-transferring surface area of ​​the building is imminent within six months of the relevant deadline.

• The building is to be converted or shut down within six months of the relevant deadline.

Savings in companies:

Companies with an energy consumption of 10 gigawatt hours (GWh) per year must implement energy efficiency measures from October 1st.

This includes, among other things, the replacement of lighting with LEDs or the optimization of work processes and technical systems.

This also includes the aforementioned hydraulic balancing.

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Energy saving measures for private households since September 1st

Habeck's plans also affect private households.

These new rules have already applied to them since September 1:

• No mandatory minimum temperature in rental apartments

  : Corresponding specifications in rental contracts become ineffective.

  Appropriate heating and adequate ventilation are still mandatory.

  Damage in the apartment must not be caused by saving energy.

• Ban on the use of certain types of heating for private pools

  : Private indoor and outdoor pools and above-ground pools may no longer be heated with gas or electricity from the mains.

  However, this does not apply to pools whose "heating is absolutely necessary for therapeutic applications or to prevent damage to the pool area".