energy crisis
These savings measures for private households will apply from September
Energy crisis: Private individuals have to adjust to these austerity measures
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In order to save electricity during the energy crisis, the federal government has decided on an energy saving plan. Various measures will come into force from September.
“Every contribution counts” – under this premise, Economics Minister Robert Habeck presented a list of actions before, with which the power consumption in Germany should be reduced. A short-term list of measures will apply from Thursday, September 1, 2022, a medium-term will apply from October 1, but still has to be approved by the Federal Council. The list of short-term measures also includes obligations from private individuals.
Energy Crisis: The Short Term Measures for Energy Savings for Individuals
The ordinance includes measures that “can be implemented very quickly,” according to the report by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection. The aim is savings that should already contribute to reducing energy requirements in the current heating season. The ordinance is valid for six months.
- Tenants have more scope to save energy: Some rental contracts stipulate a minimum temperature in the rented rooms. This contractual obligation is to be temporarily suspended for the duration of the regulation. As “Spiegel” reports, tenants are still obliged to heat “appropriately”, for example to prevent mold in the building. Any damage to buildings “should usually be prevented by appropriate ventilation behavior,” says the ministry’s report.
- No heating of private swimming and bathing pools with gas or electricity: An exception only applies to therapeutic applications. Commercial pools are also unaffected.
- Obligation of gas and heat suppliers to provide detailed information about the upcoming costs: Customers must be informed at least at the beginning of the heating season about energy consumption, price increases and potential savings. The owners of residential buildings have an obligation to forward this information.
Short-term measures for companies and public institutions
- Some rooms in public buildings are no longer heated: This includes rooms in which one does not regularly spend time, such as corridors, foyers or technical rooms. Facilities such as hospitals, care facilities, schools or kindergartens are excluded.
- Public buildings are temporarily not heated above 19 degrees: This regulation also applies to offices. Here, the previously recommended minimum temperature was 20 degrees. Hospitals, care facilities, schools and kindergartens are also excluded from this.
- Drinking water heating systems are switched off in public buildings: In particular, this includes instantaneous water heaters or decentralized hot water storage tanks. Hospitals, care facilities, schools and kindergartens are also excluded here.
- The lighting of buildings and monuments is prohibited: Excluded are safety and emergency lighting and short-term lighting such as at cultural events and folk festivals or in cases where the lighting is used for traffic safety.
- Keeping shop doors open at all times is prohibited: In heated business premises, the entrance doors may no longer be open all the time. Exceptions are doors that are required as escape routes.
- The lighting of advertising structures is restricted: The operation of illuminated advertising systems is prohibited between 10 p.m. and 4 p.m. of the following day, unless this serves to maintain traffic safety. This applies, for example, to illuminated advertising media at stops and railway underpasses.
Source used: bmwk.de, spiegel.de