Energy Saving Ordinance (residential buildings)

Country / jurisdiction: Germany · Year: 2002 · Status: In force · Level: National · Type: Voluntary

The Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV) came into force in 2002. It replaced the Thermal insulation Ordinance (1995) and the Heating Systems Ordinance (1998).

The Energy Saving Ordinance sets energy performance requirements for new buildings and for existing buildings in case of major renovation. New buildings must not exceed the annual primary energy requirement of a corresponding reference building and must be realised in such a way that the cladding and the systems engineering comply with prescribed minimum standards. In exceptional cases there are requirements to retrofit. Where changes are made to existing buildings the affected component must meet minimum energy requirements.

It also regulates the issuing and the display of energy performance certificates as well as their content. The certificates serve as an information about the energy performance of a building and they are supposed to give the possibility to compare buildings in terms of the energy performance (for further information see lines 1194 ff.). In 2009 the minimum energy requirements were tightened up by an average of 30%.

With the most recent amendment in 2013 the minimum energy requirements were further increased by an average of 25%. The EnEV 2013 will enter into force on 1 May 2014. The increase of the minimum energy requirements will apply as of 1 January 2016.

The legal basis for the EnEV is the Energy Savings Act (EnEG) of 1976, last amended in 2013.