The Architects for Future (AFF) association has launched a petition to push for more consideration to be given to energy-efficient and sustainable construction in the German Building Energy Act (GEG). Among other things, the grey energy that is put into the building should be included in the energy evaluation. In addition, building projects with a poor assessment of their ecological and energy quality should gradually be banned. In concrete terms, the architects want only building projects that are 60 per cent ecologically implemented to be approved after 2025. From 2028 the hurdle rises to 80 per cent and from 2030 only fully ecological construction is to be allowed.
Climate damage pricing
The association justifies this with the large ecological footprint that is caused by the construction and the operation of buildings. Until now, the Energy Saving Regulations, which are now part of the GEG, and for KfW financing, only take into account the operation of buildings, but not the grey energy needed to construct the building. Politicians must at last change their course here and finally include the climate damage caused by cheap and ecologically questionable building materials in their prices.
Did you know?
BIPV is beginning to become competitive
This is also intended to comply with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, which apply in all countries and must be implemented by 2030. Here, cities are also called upon to take active steps to combat climate change. This can only be done by banning cheap and climate-damaging construction.
Using solar and geothermal energy
In addition to ecological construction, however, the operation of buildings must also take climate change more into account. For example, AFF demand a sustainable energy supply, which can only be achieved if the operation of the building generates a net energy surplus. This in turn can only be achieved by using solar energy in the form of photovoltaics or solar thermal energy, in addition to geothermal energy. (su/mfo)
