ᐅ How can you bypass energy-saving regulations and avoid bureaucratic hassle?

Bieber0815 schrieb:
Exactly, they are building according to the Energy Saving Ordinance; that was not the subject here.

That's right. This was a typical conspiracy theory version.

And a word about Mr. F; I really don’t care whether he is an expert or not. But the way he "markets" his knowledge is truly unbearable. You really have to have a serious problem with poorly installed insulation to spend more than 15 minutes on his website, oops:

11ant schrieb:
Note: Style. Technically, this does not mean at all that it was hand-crafted according to grandmother’s old recipe. It’s a visual seasoning, just a different flavor from “Bauhaus” or “Tuscan.”

My sister apparently had someone on the phone who claimed that they also use the old materials. Whether they achieve 100% authenticity, I don’t know. But for now, that’s what they claim.

Tom1607 schrieb:
Hi,

I don’t understand all this discussion anymore. Just take a 36cm (14 inches) aerated concrete block or a 36cm (14 inches) Poroton brick. Both give you a solid, monolithic wall structure. With either, you can easily meet the energy saving regulation requirements; both are ecologically safe materials and that’s all you need.

No need to put plastic insulation on the outside. As for windows, I would go for triple glazing since they provide much better thermal insulation WITHOUT bringing chemicals into your home, and the additional cost is reasonable nowadays because triple glazing has basically become standard. And since you want eco-friendly options anyway, you’ll likely be choosing wooden or aluminum window frames, which are significantly more expensive anyway, so the glass price becomes less relevant.

For older buildings, I would only insulate the roof at most; everything else isn’t cost-effective.

All that other talk about red/blue/morning/evening temperatures is pointless. Solar heat gain is insufficient when you actually need it (in winter). This applies both to solar thermal systems and photovoltaics. There is very little yield in winter.

Best regards,
Thomas

Hi Thomas,

thanks for the information.
I’ll add that option to my notes. Wood is still in the running as well.
Let’s see what it ends up being...

Caspar2020 schrieb:
True. Here was the tin foil hat edition

And one word about Mr. F; I really don’t care whether he’s an expert or not. But the way he “sells” his expertise is a real nuisance. You really have to have a serious problem with poorly installed insulation to spend more than 15 minutes on his website, oops:

Hi Caspar2020,
I’ll take off the tin foil hat as soon as I live in a house completely sealed off from the outside world like most here. That would be protection enough from everything and everyone.

Let’s see if that ever happens...

Regarding Konrad Fischer’s website, I’m 100% with you! It’s just not acceptable.
His presentations are quite bad as well.

But, he does raise good points on many topics.
I would have liked to see a direct debate between him and one of the insulation lobbyists to discuss these issues.

Regards

The world is not black and white, but a shade of gray.

We have experience with retrofitting insulation on three properties. The first is a daycare center built in 1963. It has a facing of sand-lime bricks, an air gap, and single glazed windows. An external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS) was added, which led to mold problems in one of the group rooms. The cause was a thermal bridge to the roof. After upgrading the roof insulation, the problem was resolved.

The second property is a residential building from 1969, constructed similarly to the daycare center. ETICS was installed, and the old wooden windows, which had double glazing, were kept. No problems occurred.

The third building is a multipurpose facility from 1979 with a clinker brick facade. It used a different approach: all wooden windows were replaced with triple glazing and added layers, new rubber seals were installed, and perlite was blown into the air gap. There were no issues.

Heating cost savings were approximately 25% for all buildings. It was the right decision to keep the wooden windows, as they were still intact and not completely airtight. The indoor climate was comfortable, and although maximum heating cost savings were not achieved, mold was avoided.

Karsten

kaho674 schrieb:
It was claimed that they also use the old materials.

There are photos on their website, and I would say: Poroton. And the windows are surely installed according to RAL standards with compressed sealing tape (which, by the way, is "chemicals"). The roof is certainly insulated as well—who wants to heat the sky (energy saving regulations)? Most likely mineral wool with a vapor barrier/vapor retarder (both "chemicals"). The nice shutters are—I dare say—painted with modern coatings (wood protection, weathering protection). Both the protective layer and the colored pigment are "chemicals." You could go on like this forever and review all the other trades (electrical, heating, plumbing, ...).

I find these "old" villas quite beautiful and appreciate the overall design with the garden and enclosure. But don't try to convince me with nonsense about old materials.

I’ll join in here and maybe contribute something on the topic.

We inherited a house from the 1930s that’s in fairly good condition, but we’re still having quite a few things renovated before moving in.

Fortunately, the oil central heating system is fairly new; it replaced the electric heating and can stay as it is.

What’s new:

- Roof covering (aluminum or metal with slate appearance, including insulation eligible for KfW funding)
- Windows (KfW-compliant)
- Complete electrical installation
- Bathrooms including water pipes
- Wooden floors will be freed from the PVC mess and the floorboards, as well as the staircase, will be sanded down

The project will start in about 2 months, once the tenants have moved out.

We don’t have an architect involved in the project, but we do have an energy consultant on board, mainly because of the KfW funding for the roof and windows. I also made it clear from the start that we definitely will not insulate the exterior walls (60mm (2.4 inches) slate) for cost and aesthetic reasons. That exterior insulation would easily cost around 30,000€.

That’s working out so far, but the energy consultant believes that after installing the new windows (triple-glazed, PVC), mold is to be expected. So we’re looking for a solution together this coming Friday. Either the windows will have to be adjusted, or some rooms will need external ventilation systems. We’ll see.

Basically, I’m not a fan of this energy regulation either, but it is the law and it does make sense to some extent. Since buyers of older homes are required to carry out energy improvements within 2 years of purchase anyway, this comprehensive renovation beforehand seems like a good approach. Once living there, people are reluctant to tear open walls or the roof, and such large renovations are more difficult to finance years later.

You could take the risk when buying an older building and wait to see what happens or what the minimum requirements will be within 2 years. However, the heating system should not be older than 30 years, as mentioned above.