New construction: Energy requirements for the sale of municipal properties
Sustainable and energy-saving construction is supported by the City of Aachen. For example, the city's own municipal buildings are constructed in accordance with the Aachen standard with a primary energy requirement of 20 kilowatt hours per square meter over the course of a year, close to the passive house standard. If the city sells its own properties, the buyer is given conditions in the contract that ensure that sustainability and climate protection are taken into account in an exemplary manner.
The buyer is currently obligated:
As a rule, new buildings must be constructed to at least the KfW Efficiency House 55 standard in accordance with the current Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV).
In January 2020, the city of Aachen decided to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the international climate protection target set in Paris to limit global warming. This means that the city aims to be climate-neutral by 2030 at the latest.
In order to achieve this goal, in future all those wishing to build will have to provide proof of an energy consultation when purchasing a plot of land. The consultation will provide information on how the KFW 55 standard can be achieved, what sustainable and climate-friendly construction means and how energy-efficient buildings can be built using renewable energy and resource-saving materials. Decisive steps can be taken at the planning stage.
Topics in the consultation on sustainable and climate-friendly construction are:
- Climate-neutral buildings, zero- and plus-energy houses
- Electricity and heat from renewable energies
- Use of renewable raw materials
- Climate-neutral ventilation and cooling
- Importance of green roofs and façades
- Conserving resources, including water, using gray water and rainwater
- Climate-adapted construction, structural shading, thermal insulation in summer and structural protection against heavy rain damage
- In many cases, any additional costs can be offset by state subsidies. Information on this is also provided during the mandatory consultation."