Wolfsburg, Ulm and Heidelberg are considered the most sustainable cities in Germany. This is according to a sustainability index compiled by the Cologne Institute for Economic Research (IW) on behalf of ImmoScout24 and Wirtschaftswoche. The index analyzed the economic, ecological and social sustainability of over 70 independent cities in Germany. Various factors were taken into...

Improvements to the framework conditions for new construction, special depreciation for affordable rental apartments in tight housing markets and more incentives for home ownership - this is what the German Building Materials Association, the Federation of the German Construction Industry, the Central Association of the German Construction Industry (ZDB) and the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts call for in their position paper...

Ten municipalities that are particularly committed to climate protection have each received prize money of 25,000 euros in the "Climate Active Municipality 2022" competition. In the "Resources and Energy Efficiency" category, the town of Mindelheim was recognized for the energy-efficient renovation of the Maria Theresa outdoor pool, the district of Viersen for the climate-friendly construction of the new central district archive and the...

If the eviction of a mentally ill tenant would lead to suicidal intent, the landlord must continue the tenancy for an indefinite period. This has now been decided by the Federal Court of Justice (BGH; case reference: VIII ZR 390/21). In this case, an owner wanted to terminate his tenant's lease on the grounds of personal use in order to combine two apartments for himself and his partner and thus prevent him from...

The working group 'Die Moderne Küche' (AMK) recently revealed which kitchens will be on trend in 2023. When it comes to wood, the focus will be on oak and walnut as well as ash and walnut. In terms of colors, many combinations are possible. In addition to earth, sand and cream-colored elements, the shades "reed" and "sage" can also be used. Especially in...

The energy crisis poses particular challenges for private landlords. This is the view of "Haus & Grund", the central association of German house, apartment and property owners. "Our members tell us that they want to continue on the path away from fossil fuels and towards less energy consumption, but are increasingly coming up against hurdles," says Haus & Grund President Kai...

Builders can now also have so-called energy-plus houses built. The portal "effizienzhaus-online.de" points this out. Energy-plus houses are houses that not only save energy, but can also produce energy. The principle of energy-plus houses is based on more efficient building use and therefore...

There will be some changes in the energy sector in 2023. The energy advice service of the consumer advice center provides information on these. Among other things, consumers should be aware of the energy efficiency regulations for new buildings, the cap on energy prices and the promotion of energy-saving investments. From 2023, for example, stricter requirements will apply to new buildings with regard to energy...

BHW-Bausparkasse may not charge an annual fee during the savings phase of home loan and savings contracts. This was recently decided by the Federal Court of Justice (BGH, AZ: XI ZR 551/21). In this case, the Federation of German Consumer Organizations (vzbv) had filed a lawsuit against the building society in question. The building society had demanded an annual fee of 12 euros from its customers with a building society account. Wrongly, as the BGH...

At the Nature Garden Days 2022, members of the "NaturGarten" association and interested parties can learn more about topics such as "Creating & maintaining meadows" and "Planning & designing borders". The Nature Garden Days will take place from Thursday, February 2, to Sunday, February 5, in the Stadthalle Hagen. While from Thursday to Saturday they will probably mainly be attended by...