General

If thermal insulation measures are implemented, the condominium owners' association (WEG) must almost always approve them. That applies if thereby the community property is concerned. To it the association living in the property (WiE) points out. Particularly with larger measures such as a roof and a front insulation the WiE guesses owners to inform in advance about the costs. In addition...

In Berlin, tenants benefit from a ten-year protection against termination, and this applies whenever a rented apartment is to be converted into a condominium. In a recent ruling (VIII ZR 356/20), the Federal Court of Justice clarifies that "the notice lock-up period after the formation and sale of condominiums within the meaning of Section 577a (1) of the German Civil Code (BGB) for the entire area of Berlin is limited to ten...

Tips on how glass can be used in kitchens are provided by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Die Moderne Küche (AMK). For example, it can be used as an illuminated niche back wall, as a kitchen countertop or as a room divider between the cooking and living areas. According to AMK, a niche back wall can be individually designed, for example, in your favorite color, in your own desired decor or with a...

Under the title "The pig cycle is running out of food" Empirica Regio has released the real estate price index 2/2022. This shows that rents for condominiums have increased by 2.0 percent compared to the last quarter. Thus, for the first time in a long time, rents for condominiums have increased more than the purchase prices for them (1.1 percent compared to the last...

In the future, heating systems are to be operated with at least 65 percent renewable energy. This is according to a press release from the Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Building (BMWSB). It is expected that from January 1, 2024, owners of new construction or existing properties will have to comply when installing/exchanging heating systems. On the subject, the Federal Ministry...

Hajo Schörle from W&D Schörle thought about how young people can be involved in energy consulting. The result is the book "Da steckt ja ganz schön viel Energie drin. On 40 pages, children learn more about the topic - from energy-efficient renovation to storing energy to generating their own energy. The book...

Neighbors are not allowed to install surveillance cameras that record their own property as well as that of their neighbors. This has now been decided by the Bad Iburg Local Court (AZ: 4 C 366/21). In the case in question, a neighbor of a semi-detached house had installed surveillance cameras with intelligent video technology on his property, which, among other things, could detect objects and persons in real time....

How can a site like the one at the Heidingsfelder Mainufer in Würzburg be upgraded? Students of the Geovisualization course at the University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt dealt with this question. Under the motto "Living on the waterfront", they had to develop designs that combine the areas of living, working and leisure. The challenge here...

A team from the Chair of Technical Thermodynamics at the Freiberg University of Mining and Technology and the company DBI Gas- und Umwelttechnik GmbH are currently investigating how mine water from the former Lugau-Oelsnitz coalfield in northwestern Saxony can be used to supply heat. The idea is to heat the mine water with heat pumps and use it for heat and...

At the University of Göttingen, a process has been developed for a granulate that can be used to make panels and walls from hemp, falch and popcorn granulate. According to the responsible working group "Chemistry and Process Engineering of Composite Materials" at the Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, the material used is reusable, recyclable and compostable....