2024

Colors influence our mood and our well-being. Green in particular, which is associated with nature and freshness, plays an important role in the indoor climate. Green plants can improve air quality and therefore contribute to a healthier living space. But which plants are best suited to the different living areas? This is important to know, because houseplants fulfill...

Property prices will rise in Germany's seven largest cities, among others, but also in other regions. In almost half of the regions surveyed (47%), purchase prices will rise by more than 0.15% in real terms by 2035. This is according to the "Postbank Housing Atlas 2024" published by the Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWI). This development will be driven by an increasing...

Before the dream of owning a home becomes reality, builders should make careful decisions and carry out thorough planning. The portal "baumentor.de" points this out and offers a checklist with 15 important questions as a guide for the successful implementation of the building project. We summarize the questions in a three-part series. Today: Points 11 to...

A research team led by Prof. Dr. Stefan Seelecke and Prof. Dr. Paul Motzki from Saarland University has developed a prototype for a refrigerator that cools with nickel-titanium. The refrigerator is operated on the basis of so-called elastocaloric technology. This is based on the simple principle of dissipating heat by means of drawn and relieved nickel-titanium wires. These "artificial...

Does a tenant always have to pay compensation for use if he returns the apartment late? The Hanau Regional Court recently dealt with this question (case reference 2 S 35/22). In this case, the tenant had given notice to leave his apartment with effect from August 31, 2017. However, the landlord objected to the termination due to a termination exclusion clause in the tenancy agreement. It came to...

Regenerative gardening is more than just a trend - it's a sustainable method that aims to improve soil health, promote biodiversity and conserve natural resources. Here are some of the key practices and tips for 2024: 1. Soil care and compostingSoil is at the heart of regenerative gardening. A healthy soil layer...

A significant correction in residential real estate prices in Germany is already underway, and experts from Commerzbank are forecasting further declines in the coming months. There is clearly still a large gap between the price expectations of buyers and sellers. Prices for existing residential properties have fallen significantly since mid-2022, particularly due to the...

Before the dream of owning a home becomes reality, builders should make careful decisions and carry out thorough planning. The portal "baumentor.de" points this out and offers a checklist with 15 important questions as a guide for the successful implementation of the building project. We summarize the questions in a three-part series. Today: points 6 to 10.Which...

The efficiency of a heat pump depends on various factors that should be carefully checked. These include the heat source, the size of the radiators and the actual heat requirement. The consumer advice center points this out. In terms of heat sources, groundwater pumps are the most efficient, followed by ground source heat pumps and air source heat pumps. If the radiators are too small...

In a legal dispute over a gas bill, the Munich District Court rejected a claim for payment of EUR 4,259.56. The plaintiff had purchased gas from a supplier from March 2020 to March 2021 for the invoiced gas consumption of 63,528 kWh and was supposed to pay the stated amount. However, she did not want to. She argued that the calculated gas consumption in her annual bill was far too high.