© BMWi, Data from 2015 KfW funding report

Saving energy means saving money. People renovating their homes can save up to 80 per cent of the oil and gas they use for heating and hot water. Many home-owners and landlords have got the message: they are cutting their energy needs, saving money and making their homes more comfortable.

Particularly popular: out with the old boiler, in with the new

In 2015, the most popular approach was to install new boilers. It heads the list of the five most frequently assisted modernisation measures. This is revealed by the latest funding statistics from the KfW. In 2015, the KfW provided support to roughly 63,000 installations of efficient oil and gas condensation boilers, as well as additional heat pumps, solar thermal, biomass and other efficient equipment.

Windows and outside doors in second place

The fitting of modern energy-efficient windows and outside doors comes in second place. There were around 52,700 instances of funding provided towards these improvements. Third and fourth place were taken by roof and ceiling insulation (approx. 22,300 cases) and façade insulation (around 10,000 cases). Checks on and improvements to existing heating systems ranked fifth, e.g. via hydronic balancing, with around 3,200 applications approved.

In total, the KfW provided funding towards some 151,000 individual measures last year. That is close to the preceding year’s level (roughly 154,000).

The best way to save

What is best for your home can vary from building to building. Before embarking on improvements, home-owners should therefore seek expert energy advice; the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy covers up to 60 per cent of the costs of this. It involves a visit by a consultant who looks into the overall state of the building and develops a renovation concept which takes account of individual ideas and needs; the consultant also applies for the KfW funding.