Podcast Climate Impacts - Adapted Building #01

With the targets for the Climate Action Plan 2050, the German government is pursuing ambitious plans. For the building sector, this means that a virtually climate-neutral building stock is to be achieved by 2050. The Federal Building Ministry has launched pilot projects, such as Efficiency Houses Plus in existing buildings, which are investigating ways to achieve this goal in a practical manner. By 2030, the political framework conditions should be designed in such a way that the requirements for a virtually climate-neutral building stock are already in place. The energy standard for the construction of new residential and non-residential buildings must be further developed by 2030. Likewise, from 2030, the energy-efficient refurbishment of buildings must largely fulfil the requirement of a virtually climate-neutral building stock.

To ensure that the necessary energy-efficient refurbishment and new construction measures are sustainable, the focus must be on holistic planning approaches that combine forward-looking architectural design and utilisation quality with energy-efficient measures. Special care must be taken with energy refurbishment measures to protect our building fabric that is worth preserving, including those that are not subject to protection under monument protection legislation. The diversity of façades must be protected.

For all buildings, whether new or old, the following applies: The compatibility with the building culture must be examined on a case-by-case basis, and various ecological, economic, technical and design solutions must be sought. Standardisation, shapelessness and arbitrariness should be avoided. They lead to a loss of identity-forming building culture.

Objectives: Extract from the fields of action
The Climate Action Plan is based on the guiding principle of achieving greenhouse gas neutrality by the middle of the century. For the year 2030, it reaffirms the overall target of a greenhouse gas reduction of at least 55 per cent compared to 1990, while at the same time breaking this overall target down into individual sectors for the first time. The plan thus provides clear guidance for all sectors.

Of central importance is the reorganisation of the Energy industry. Important steps have already been taken in this sector with the energy transition. Renewable electricity will also enable other sectors - such as transport - to move away from climate-damaging fossil fuels. Renewable energies will be further expanded and coal-fired power generation will be reduced accordingly. A new "Growth, Structural Change and Regional Development" commission is to develop a mix of instruments. This is intended to help the regions and sectors that are particularly affected by the structural change associated with the energy transition.

At Buildings there is a "roadmap for a virtually climate-neutral building stock". Buildings are particularly durable, which is why the course for 2050 must be set early on. The reduction should be 66-67 per cent by 2030. This will be achieved through ambitious new building standards, long-term refurbishment strategies and the gradual phasing out of fossil-fuelled heating systems.

The Transport sector will contribute 40 to 42 per cent to the 2030 climate target. A series of climate protection concepts will identify measures to achieve this, such as a climate protection concept for road transport. Alternative drive systems, local public transport, rail transport and cycling and walking will play an important role, as will a digitalisation strategy.

In the area of Industry the reduction should be 49 to 51 per cent. The German government will launch a research, development and market launch programme to reduce previously unavoidable industrial process emissions.

For land use and Forestrywhich are not included in the assessment of target fulfilment, the focus is on maintaining and improving the sink capacity of the forest. In addition, sustainable forest management and the associated use of wood, the preservation of permanent grassland, the protection of peat soils and the climate potential of natural forest development.

Link:
www.klimaschutzplan2050.de/handlungsfelder

Source: PM BMUB No. 280/16 from 14 November 2016

Keywords:
Stock, DE-News, Renewable, Climate protection, Mobility, New books and studies, Quarters, Settlements, Environmental policy, Housing policy, XXL settlements