Policy Briefs

The reduction of heat demand through energy-efficient building refurbishment and the switch to renewable energies and waste heat in the heat supply are the two central components of the transition of the heating sector in Berlin. The implementation of these climate protection measures is accompanied by considerable investments, but also benefits, for example through reduced heating costs after a refurbishment. Tenants fear additional burdens due to energy-efficient refurbishments when the modernisation costs are allocated. Low-income households in particular can be heavily burdened by this...

Solar energy is the most important renewable energy source that can be tapped in Berlin's urban area. The state government has therefore set the goal of covering 25 percent of Berlin's electricity supply from solar energy. To achieve this, the city's installed photovoltaic (PV) capacity must be expanded to 34 times the 2020 level.

Such a dynamization of the expansion can only be achieved if all building types are included - including multifamily buildings. However, the current model for subsidizing tenant electricity has crucial shortcomings, so a fresh start seems possible only with a...