The new Building Energy Act (GEG) - an overview of the most important changes

The Building Energy Act (GEG) comes into force on November 1, 2020. The GEG brings together the Energy Saving Act (EnEG), the Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV) and the Renewable Energies Heat Act (EEWärmeG) and simplifies the requirements for energy efficiency and the use of renewable energies in new builds and renovations. The law is intended to lead to uniform nationwide regulations for planning, implementation and monitoring. The EnEG, the EnEV and the EEWärmeG will be repealed when the GEG comes into force.

The GEG regulates the requirements for the energy quality of buildings, the creation and use of energy certificates and the use of renewable energies for heating and cooling. In particular, it also regulates requirements for public buildings, as these are intended to serve as a model.

In addition, the GEG fully implements the European requirements for the overall energy efficiency of buildings and defines the requirements for a nearly zero-energy building.

The current energy requirements for new buildings and refurbishments will not be tightened. The law follows the principle of economic efficiency and technological openness. This means that private and public building owners can construct high-quality energy-efficient buildings both economically and using standard market technologies.

What does the GEG apply to?

Key innovations

• - Nearly zero-energy buildings
• - Definition in accordance with the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) is anchored in the GEG and backed up with specific values.
• - The energy requirements for nearly zero-energy buildings correspond to those for new buildings, i.e. KfW Efficiency House 55 or better.
• - Eligibility of electricity from renewable energies:
• - Photovoltaic electricity that is generated close to the building and primarily used by the building itself can be offset against the primary energy requirement by up to 30 percent (without storage) and up to 45 percent (with storage).
• - Photovoltaic electricity can be counted as renewable energy for heat generation if it contributes to covering at least 15 percent of the heating or cooling demand in non-residential buildings.
• - Conventional system technology:
• -Update of retrofitting obligations for boilers that may no longer be operated if installed before 1991 or after 30 years.
• - Ban on oil heating systems after 2026 (with numerous exceptions).
• - Greenhouse gas emissions:
• - Uniform calculation method in the GEG.
• - Energy performance certificate (examples):
• - Mandatory on-site inspections or meaningful visual material.
• - Binding information on greenhouse gas emissions.
• - Extension of the authorization to issue energy performance certificates, i.e. no differentiation between residential and non-residential buildings.
• - Mandatory energy advice from an energy consultant when buying a property.
• - Innovation clause:
• - Instead of the annual primary energy requirement, greenhouse gas emissions can be limited if certain energy requirements are met.

Further information can be found on the website of the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community.

When does the GEG apply?

In principle, the GEG applies to building projects with a building application or building notification from November 1, 2020. However, for all building projects for which the building application was submitted by October 31, 2020, the old law still applies - i.e. EnEV, EnEG and EEWärmeG.