Whether climate-friendly heating or not: According to the WWF, it is worthwhile to renovate single-family homes by 2045. Tenants in multi-family homes, however, should be careful.
Anyone who renovates their single-family home by 2045 will save money in the long term despite capital expenditure. This is the result of a profitability calculation carried out by Prognos AG on behalf of WWF Germany. Although the initial expenditure would initially increase depending on the measure, modernization is more cost-effective in the long term. Even a partial renovation such as roof insulation or replacing windows could lead to savings.
Germany wants to be climate neutral by mid-2045 – including in the building sector. However, the renovation rate is currently only around 0.7 percent per year, far from the target of over 2 percent. Due to too many fossil heating systems, the emission load is still very high. The WWF therefore recommends using a climate-friendly heating network when renovating.
Cost savings even without sustainable heat supply
Even without the use of a climate-friendly heating system, renovation would be worthwhile. In a case study from the study, the total costs for a single-family home with gas heating without renovation up to 2045 are a good 89,000 euros. If it is renovated according to the efficiency house standards EH 70 or EH 55 and a heat pump is also installed, the energy costs fall to around 65,000 euros. If you replace the gas boiler with a heat pump without renovation, you save just under 1,000 euros. If the homeowner buys a new boiler without renovation, the costs even rise to around 94,000 euros.
It is more difficult when renovating apartment buildings with existing gas boilers: While landlords benefit from increased rental income through the modernization levy, often in excess of the investment costs, tenants’ basic rent increases. According to studies, all renovation options considered are more expensive for tenants than the unrenovated state. “In apartment buildings, there needs to be better cost fairness so that renovation is worthwhile for everyone here too,” says Viviane Raddatz, climate chief at WWF Germany.
Source: Stern
