ᐅ Is it mandatory to build according to the Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV) 2009?

We built our first house in 1997, installing a gas condensing boiler at the time. We used Ytong blocks, installed double-glazed windows, and had standard insulation under the roof, with a living area of about 180m² (1,938 sq ft). We never had any issues with ventilation or damp walls, and the heating system has worked without problems to this day, consuming around 15,000 kWh of gas per year.

Since the kids have been out of the house for years, we decided to sell it and build a new one in a bungalow style, meaning everything on one level. Apart from the significantly increased construction costs since 1997, we are also dealing with the question of the energy saving regulations.

We plan to have a timber frame house built by the local carpentry business. We have known our preferred floor plan for a long time but struggle with all the energy saving regulation requirements. The rules in this regulation must have been decided by someone not in their right mind. Just yesterday, there was even an article on the T-Online website stating that the KfW allegedly keeps studies secret, which prove that KfW standards are disproportionate to the enormous investment costs and basically uneconomical.

We have held this opinion for a long time. We would like to install just a gas condensing boiler with a stove, plus a controlled residential ventilation system with heat recovery. My builder says this is not possible; at least a solar system must be included; otherwise, we won’t meet the requirements of the energy saving regulation.

Okay, that may be true. But is it actually mandatory to build according to this energy saving regulation? Who enforces this? The local building authority? We asked about this, and the head of the building authority replied that he is not aware of this regulation, that it doesn’t exist, and that no one can be forced to follow such rules—it would be like communism (...a fair and accurate observation :cool 🙂.

So what actually happens if you don’t build according to the energy saving regulation?

Thank you in advance for your answers.

The Energy Saving Ordinance is a law that must be followed.
How much you want to exceed these requirements is up to you. However, there are mandatory energy values that must not be exceeded for new buildings. Compliance will be demonstrated using the "energy performance certificate."

Hello Surfcamper!
That’s exactly how we want to build as well: gas condensing boiler, controlled mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, but no solar panels or similar. We are building with solid construction, but that shouldn’t make a difference. If the insulation is 15% better than the requirements of the energy-saving regulations, then solar panels aren’t necessary. This would work for our building project, and that’s exactly how we plan to do it.
Good luck Mecc

Hello Mecc,
yes, exactly, with 15% more insulation than required by the energy saving regulations, it should work. Theoretically, we should be able to achieve this quite easily with the construction method since we have planned 40cm (16 inches) walls/insulation. Our builder’s previous approach was KfW 55 or below, but we have now abandoned that. Who needs it when we aim for KfW 70 instead? That works well, and we will probably manage with the insulation alone and without solar panels. We don’t care about the annoying KfW subsidy; the favorable interest rate for financing makes sense, but you can probably get that with KfW 70 as well.

surfcamper schrieb:
Yesterday, even on the T-Online website, there was an article stating that the KfW supposedly is withholding studies that prove the KfW standards are disproportionate to the enormous investment costs and are basically uneconomical.
We have shared this opinion for a long time.

Regulation is regulation—just look at the definition!
It is clear that the investments are much higher than the economic benefits, but none of us really knows what the costs will look like if energy resources become scarcer.*
To prevent future shortages, energy regulations will be adjusted accordingly, for the general welfare, not for individual opinions of us consumers who have to invest heavily to meet the standard.
As far as I know, the Energy Saving Ordinance 2013 already exists and was probably implemented starting in 2014 (please correct me if I’m wrong).
We could have also avoided solar panels and instead installed better insulation, but that wouldn’t have made a significant difference in terms of cost.
Personally, I think it’s acceptable if we are “forced” to use natural energies. There are enough egoists living only for the here and now and only for themselves in everyday life. People should also take time to consider the whole ecosystem.
*Maybe one day we will be thankful.

@ypg
This is not about individual opinions or a reluctance to build energy-efficiently and/or minimize heating and energy costs. It’s about the principle of “coercion” and how the options within the regulation, on closer examination, don’t make sense.
For example, what is the point of an air-source heat pump, exhaust air heat pump, or ground-source heat pump without additional heating? The efficiency of such systems is laughable, and the cost compared to that is completely unreasonable. Those who have such systems without supplementary heating will probably "enjoy" this winter—when it’s cold, the house will never get comfortably warm, and the resulting high electricity bills are hardly energy-conscious, especially in the future as electricity prices continue to rise. Consider the previously so-praised storage heaters... the same issue.
The real concern is having the freedom to design it exactly as needed so that cost, benefit, and environmental impact are balanced in a healthy way—ideally self-sufficient, without dependencies.
By the way, do other EU countries have the same regulation? That would at least make sense. Or are we, as always, just the obedient and law-abiding Germans left out in the cold?