Federal Building Minister Klara Geywitz has promised sensible transitional periods, social cushioning and openness to technology for the upcoming heating transition. The SPD politician said in Frankfurt at the opening of the ISH trade fair that no low-CO2 technology should be excluded by law. She continues to strive for a building energy law that enables a solution for every building. In addition to the important heat pumps, this also included direct electricity heating or the use of biomass.
Social cushioning is needed, especially when it comes to necessary conversions of existing buildings, said Hesse’s Economics Minister Tarek Al-Wazir. The Greens politician warned against achieving unwanted effects by shifting the stricter specifications. In the coming year, the Federal Government intends to legally stipulate a 65 percent share of renewable energies in newly installed heating systems.
Craft pushes for a broader range
The trade would like a wider range of heaters whose CO2 savings can be counted. Even with the installation of a modern gas heating system, up to half of the emissions can be saved, said Helmut Bramann, general manager of the Central Association for Sanitary, Heating and Air Conditioning. You also need solutions for buildings where no heat pump can be installed for structural reasons.
The Federal Association of Energy and Water Management (BDEW) called for “a great deal of sensitivity” when dealing with the millions of private homeowners and landlords. “Homeowners must not be unsettled by complex requirements for heat supply and energy-related renovation of their buildings, nor should they be overwhelmed financially. There is no off-the-shelf solution for this,” explained Kerstin Andreae, head of the association. It is correct that heat pumps and district heating are at the center of the heat transition. However, there will still be a need for affordable, practical solutions in the future, such as gas-based hybrid systems that can be operated with renewable gases without carbon.
Craftsman: ISH has never been more important
As the world’s leading trade fair, the ISH shows new products and solutions for the bathroom, building, energy, air conditioning technology and renewable energies up to and including Friday. There are 2025 exhibitors from 54 countries. Never before has an ISH been as important as this year, said trade representative Bramann. The trade has to change completely, also in order to be able to advise customers with legal certainty. “The whole world comes here and all the solutions are found here.”
“In rural areas, people tend to use biomass,” reports Thorsten Jacob, master installer from Naumburg in northern Hesse. Conventional gas and oil systems are also in high demand at the moment. As an energy consultant, he also plans heat pumps with the associated building renovations in old buildings, reports Jacob. Here, however, it is important that the customer goes along with the planned extent. “Otherwise trouble is inevitable.”
Business is good
Business in the industry is running at full speed, as the record sales of Bosch Thermotechnik make clear. Revenue rose by 13 percent year-on-year to EUR 4.5 billion. The heat pump business in Germany has increased by 75 percent, worldwide the plus was 54 percent. Significant growth was also recorded in conventional heating systems. In order to accelerate the energy transition in the building stock, Brockmann advocates a focus on heat pump hybrids. These consist of a small heat pump and a condensing boiler that uses gas or oil, for example. The boiler is only switched on on the very cold days of the year in Central Europe. “We believe that these mixed solutions will prevail.”
IG Metall is concerned about the skilled workers required for implementation. Up to 190,000 employees are already missing in the trades relevant to renovation, said board member Ralf Kutzner of the German Press Agency. The best way to convince the required skilled workers is with good working conditions and attractive collective agreements.
