General

From 2024, changes in the area of energy saving will come into force. The energy advice service of the consumer advice center points this out. One major change is the amendment to the Building Energy Act (GEG). From January 1, 2024, new buildings in new development areas must install heating systems that use at least 65% renewable energy. For existing buildings outside of...

The decision to purchase a vacation property should be made with caution, according to the advice of the Association of Private Builders (VPB). A vacation apartment or vacation home can be a sensible investment. Nevertheless, such a property should be examined just as carefully as the main residence so that it does not become a burden. Three central questions are...

In an article on sustainable living trends, "kabeleins.de" has captured how sustainable building can be achieved. Modern technologies and innovative approaches such as building using the timber building block principle make it possible to save money and protect the environment at the same time. With the wooden building block principle, for example, wooden building blocks are stacked in XXL format - similar to Lego. A building shell should...

Construction sites should emit less carbon dioxide (CO2) in future. The Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering (IAO) has published corresponding measures for the decarbonization of construction sites by 2045 in a strategic roadmap. The strategic roadmap highlights twelve fields of action that need to be addressed on the road to a climate-neutral construction site by 2045.

According to the portal "infranken.de", the popularity of photovoltaic systems is steadily increasing. This is also reflected in discussions about the topic on social media platforms. A large community discusses the topic in groups such as "Photovoltaik: Alles Rund um die Solaranlage" (Facebook) with over 135,000 members. The community focuses on topics such as the...

Noise caused by dogs in a dog playground in a residential area is reasonable as long as it does not exceed the applicable immission guide values. This was decided by the Berlin Administrative Court (VG 24 K 148.19). A local resident had complained about noise pollution and the alleged use of the dog playground outside of the specified opening hours, which was operated by the Lichtenberg district office in...

The BVDM Furniture and Kitchens Trade Association, VDM Association of the German Furniture Industry and the Association of the German Wood-Based Panel Industry (VHI) are calling for more planning security and an immediate program for residential construction in an open letter to Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck. The target figure of 400,000 completed residential units per year seems a long way off to the associations....

Property buyers must note that "bought as seen" in the purchase contract means a warranty exclusion for defects. The Association of Private Builders (VPB) points this out. Old properties in particular can have various defects that buyers only notice after the purchase. However, the seller is under no obligation to point out obvious defects, such as damp walls,...

Forward-looking planning and flexible use of real estate will become increasingly important in the future. On the one hand, vacancies can be avoided in this way. On the other hand, it can ensure sustainable developments in existing buildings. These are the conclusions of the Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development (IOER). Although interests could change due to newly introduced...

When used correctly, heat pumps can guarantee both moderate costs and comfortable warmth while protecting the climate. This is the conclusion reached by the energy advice service of the consumer advice center. The heat pump draws its heat free of charge from natural sources such as air, soil or groundwater. The low temperature level that these pumps generate for heating systems is due to the...