In a joint press release, the industry associations VDE, ZVEH and ZVEI call for clarity and planning security for all concerned in view of the upcoming decision on the Building Energy Act in the Bundestag: The decarbonisation of the building sector affects the broad population and must therefore be implemented in a way that is as socially acceptable as it is ambitious.
The ongoing debate on the Building Energy Act is slowing down the energy and heat transition in the building sector: Demand for heat pumps has fallen sharply, homeowners are reluctant to make climate-friendly investments, manufacturers and the trades are unsettled. In addition, according to the associations, it is important not only to focus on the high efficiency of the heat pump. The interaction of the individual components is particularly important - from energy generation to storage and consumption to the efficient distribution of energy.
“Technological developments bring benefits to people and create new business areas for companies. Comfort, safety and health can be improved with the help of smart buildings. We are transforming the energy system to make it sustainable. This will require large investments and transformation efforts. To claim otherwise is window dressing. Doing nothing, as the current crises in particular have shown, is ultimately more expensive and more damaging to society and the economy. It is therefore important to focus on the opportunities of change”, says ZVEH Managing Director Alexander Neuhäuser.
Integrated, intelligent energy management systems
Technologies such as photovoltaic systems, heat pumps and storage systems can help to reduce energy consumption. An integrated energy management system can help here: This can, for example, integrate the charging infrastructure for the e-vehicle or other household appliances. The system then ensures that the e-car is always charged with solar power and the washing machine only switches on when there is still enough photovoltaic power available - or when the electricity drawn from the grid is particularly cheap. The intelligent system takes into account weather influences as well as the habits and requirements of the people living in the house.
“The consumer is becoming a prosumer, which is an important element of our future energy system. There are many ways to involve consumers more in the energy transition. The technological solutions and applications exist, now they just need to be quickly implemented in regulatory terms. We at VDE are working on this e-dial future in many places by ensuring protection and safety, whether through standardisation or testing and certification”, says VDE head Ansgar Hinz.
“Through the clever interaction of electrification, digitalisation and automation in the building sector, we can save up to 65 percent primary energy. If we cleverly generate, use, store and distribute electrical energy in buildings and neighbourhoods, we will not only permanently reduce operating costs, but also make a significant contribution to achieving climate targets. However, this also means that the electrical infrastructure in older buildings must be upgraded”, says Wolfgang Weber, Chairman of the ZVEI Board of Directors.
