Berlin A new federal government – a new focus on subsidy policy in housing construction in order to reduce emissions in a more targeted manner. That is the plan of the SPD, the Greens and the FDP. After the KfW 55 funding standard expires, a funding program for residential construction will be introduced in new buildings, which will primarily focus on greenhouse gas emissions, according to the coalition agreement.
The problem: A change in the funding system is unlikely to be possible anytime soon. After all, the old federal government decided in November to let the funding standard for a level 55 efficiency house expire at the end of January 2022 – to the annoyance of the construction and housing industry. In the new building, only houses with the higher energy level 40 would then be funded by the federally owned credit institution for reconstruction.
>> Read here: Anyone who renovates their building in an energy-efficient manner can rely on state support. But the clock is ticking for applications based on the old KfW rules. What interested builders now have to consider.
Daniel Föst, building and housing policy spokesman for the FDP parliamentary group, has now pleaded for a “short-term extension of the funding” for the KfW 55 standard.
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“The Union leaves a long to-do list in building policy that we urgently need to tackle,” said Föst to the Handelsblatt. Those affected in the industry were not informed of the expiry of KfW Standard 55 at an early stage, “nor were they promised a sensible transitional arrangement,” said Föst. “That is more than counterproductive and creates uncertainty.”
Föst reiterated that the traffic light is aiming to reorganize the funding system. “In the coalition agreement, we have stated that we will base future subsidies on the tonne of CO2 saved and not on specific individual measures,” he said. “But until then, companies need planning security.”
“There is less living space”
Real estate projects have a long lead time. For projects for which applications would be submitted in the coming year, the planning had long since started, explained Föst. “If these projects no longer turn out to be profitable due to the discontinuation of funding, this not only harms the company – it also creates less living space.”
Föst is supported by the North Rhine-Westphalian building minister Ina Scharrenbach (CDU). “Numerous new residential construction projects are in danger – even in the rent-linked area for people with little money – because of the financing gap that suddenly appeared,” she told the Handelsblatt.
“The abolition of funding affects everyone who wants to build, from citizens who build property to municipal housing associations. That destroys trust and brings unrest to a situation in which everyone has the same goal: to build more. “
With some decisions you just hold your head, said Scharrenbach. “At a time when everyone is really making sure that building is energy-efficient and affordable, the federal government is doing exactly the opposite.”
“First important task for the new building minister”
In November, the building ministers’ conference had already asked the then executive federal government to refrain from its plan to discontinue KfW 55 funding.
Axel Gedaschko, President of the Central Association of the Housing Industry (GdW), speaks of an “incomprehensible and unsocial decision” by the old government. Until there is a follow-up regulation, the funding must be extended for all companies as a transitional regulation, he told the Handelsblatt.
“That is the first important task for the new building minister and her team.” Otherwise, warned Gedaschko, “the result is attentiveness among companies, with far-reaching negative effects on affordable and climate-friendly living”. Without this funding, living with a higher climate standard would be unaffordable for many people in Germany, and the goal of 400,000 new apartments recently announced by the new government would be a long way off.
The BFW Federal Association of Independent Real Estate and Housing Companies also criticized the deletion. Without the funding, only the statutory minimum standard would be economically viable, said BFW President Andreas Ibel back in November.
Longer transition periods for flood areas
On Thursday, plans by the government became known to exempt the areas affected by the flood disaster in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate from the regulation by June 30, 2022, i.e. to continue promoting efficiency houses there with the KfW 55 standard. The Handelsblatt has the amended versions of the BEG guidelines for residential and non-residential buildings. BEG stands for federal funding for efficient buildings.
This does not change anything fundamentally for the economy. “Merely promoting the areas affected by the flood disaster until June 30, 2022 is far from sufficient,” said Gedaschko. Föst spoke of “good news”. However, it would “make sense” to extend the funding as a whole, said the FDP politician. A request from the Handelsblatt to the Federal Ministry of Economics has so far remained unanswered.
More: Lack of housing and skilled workers: These are the seven greatest challenges in building and housing policy.