ᐅ Buying a New Single-Family Home: Is the Energy Efficiency Standard Currently Required by Building Codes Likely to Be Adequate in the Future?
Created on: 3 Mar 2021 10:22
A
Atilla08
Hello everyone,
I have recently become a member of this forum and have mainly been reading quietly and gathering information so far. My research on the above-mentioned topic has not yielded satisfactory results, which is why I am now starting my first thread.
We are a family of four and are in the process of purchasing a detached house with about 165m2 (1,775 sq ft) of living space and a large plot of land in the Hamburg area or its surroundings. This is a new build project being carried out by Bonava.
To keep it brief: Bonava only builds according to the Energy Saving Ordinance standard. The energy is supplied via district heating. There is no possibility to improve the efficiency. A few weeks ago, I inquired whether the standard double-glazed windows could be replaced with triple-glazed ones, and this was later confirmed as possible. So, an upgrade would have been available for a small additional cost.
However, two days ago, I received a call stating this would no longer be possible because some neighbors had previously asked the same question and were denied (for reasons unknown). They now want to apply the same rules to all buyers, even though I was promised otherwise.
I am upset about this and am now considering abandoning the whole project because I feel like I am buying a house with outdated technology. Although it is only the windows, in my understanding, they already make a significant difference.
According to the preliminary energy certificate, the energy demand is 82.3 kWh/(m2 x a) which falls in category C, and the primary energy demand is 51.0 kWh/(m2 x a), which is category A.
Since I am a complete novice, I would really like to hear the opinions of experienced people. I am truly only interested in finding out whether I am getting a solid house or an energy guzzler. Please forgive me if I am posting in the wrong section.
I hope to receive well-informed, helpful, and meaningful feedback.
Best regards
Atilla
I have recently become a member of this forum and have mainly been reading quietly and gathering information so far. My research on the above-mentioned topic has not yielded satisfactory results, which is why I am now starting my first thread.
We are a family of four and are in the process of purchasing a detached house with about 165m2 (1,775 sq ft) of living space and a large plot of land in the Hamburg area or its surroundings. This is a new build project being carried out by Bonava.
To keep it brief: Bonava only builds according to the Energy Saving Ordinance standard. The energy is supplied via district heating. There is no possibility to improve the efficiency. A few weeks ago, I inquired whether the standard double-glazed windows could be replaced with triple-glazed ones, and this was later confirmed as possible. So, an upgrade would have been available for a small additional cost.
However, two days ago, I received a call stating this would no longer be possible because some neighbors had previously asked the same question and were denied (for reasons unknown). They now want to apply the same rules to all buyers, even though I was promised otherwise.
I am upset about this and am now considering abandoning the whole project because I feel like I am buying a house with outdated technology. Although it is only the windows, in my understanding, they already make a significant difference.
According to the preliminary energy certificate, the energy demand is 82.3 kWh/(m2 x a) which falls in category C, and the primary energy demand is 51.0 kWh/(m2 x a), which is category A.
Since I am a complete novice, I would really like to hear the opinions of experienced people. I am truly only interested in finding out whether I am getting a solid house or an energy guzzler. Please forgive me if I am posting in the wrong section.
I hope to receive well-informed, helpful, and meaningful feedback.
Best regards
Atilla
P
pagoni20203 Mar 2021 11:58Although I could understand this from experience with my own buildings, I often fall victim to the same mindset that everything should be bigger, higher, and further, otherwise you have a poor-quality house.
It is really hard to break free from this, but it is advisable because there will always be something or someone who has more or "better."
For my previous house, I could have easily spent 100,000 DM less without any noticeable disadvantage in living comfort. A lot of money was lost on unnecessary extras for windows, doors, handles, tiles, floors, and so on, always following the motto "you only build once (flat out false)" or "if we’re going to do it, we’ll do it right" (as if ordinary was wrong). Suddenly, huge sums disappear, and in the end, there is no money left for a nice sofa, stylish garden furniture, or similar.
It is really hard to break free from this, but it is advisable because there will always be something or someone who has more or "better."
For my previous house, I could have easily spent 100,000 DM less without any noticeable disadvantage in living comfort. A lot of money was lost on unnecessary extras for windows, doors, handles, tiles, floors, and so on, always following the motto "you only build once (flat out false)" or "if we’re going to do it, we’ll do it right" (as if ordinary was wrong). Suddenly, huge sums disappear, and in the end, there is no money left for a nice sofa, stylish garden furniture, or similar.
@ypg
Exactly, Bonava is the developer and more or less "handles" everything. I'm not even sure if it's a Frisian or Captain’s house, ist 🤨, but so far, we like the look and floor plan. We've also already considered the toilet and shower. We'll see what’s possible.
I will definitely ask my questions when the time comes 🙂
@pagoni2020
You’re speaking my mind. I keep hearing those phrases everywhere, especially since some people in my family and friends circle have bought or even built homes. But the reality usually turns out differently. I’m glad to read these comments as they reflect my basic thoughts.
Exactly, Bonava is the developer and more or less "handles" everything. I'm not even sure if it's a Frisian or Captain’s house, ist 🤨, but so far, we like the look and floor plan. We've also already considered the toilet and shower. We'll see what’s possible.
I will definitely ask my questions when the time comes 🙂
@pagoni2020
You’re speaking my mind. I keep hearing those phrases everywhere, especially since some people in my family and friends circle have bought or even built homes. But the reality usually turns out differently. I’m glad to read these comments as they reflect my basic thoughts.
Atilla08 schrieb:
Captain’s houseCaptain’s house is correct. I didn’t think, just typed 😉Living in a house built to energy-saving regulations means using only 600 liters (158 gallons) of gas per year. So what. What more do you want? How much more expensive will the other standard be, and what will it deliver annually? Don’t let yourself be misled.I was hoping for such honest statements to move away from nitpicking for once.
Thanks! 😀
Atilla08 schrieb:
whether standard double glazing can be replaced by triple glazing, [...]
Since I am a complete beginner, I would like to hear an assessment from experienced people. As a former window manufacturer, I can assure you that both the entire window and its glazing are products with complex qualities. There are many ways to achieve the desired result, and the various objectives—which may seem paradoxical at first—can sometimes be better met with a less complex glazing unit. Even in the premium segment—definitely not due to budget constraints—we regularly installed double-glazed (I prefer to say: with a single air space) units.
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