Increasingly higher standards are driving building prices into unaffordable spheres. Construction Minister Klara Geywitz wants to break the spiral of inflation – and admits mistakes.
Can millions of home builders and contractors breathe a sigh of relief? Increasingly higher standards are driving construction prices in Germany into unaffordable spheres. The following also applies to people with middle-class wishes: “You always get a Ferrari delivered,” criticized journalist Gerhard Matzig on “Hart but fair”. Federal Building Minister Klara Geywitz (SPD) acknowledged an undesirable development there on Monday – and promised a reversal.
The guests
- Klara Geywitz (SPD), federal building minister
- Caren Lay (Die Linke), member of the Bundestag
- Dirk Salewski, contractor
- Gerhard Matzig, “Süddeutsche Zeitung”
- Erdal Balci, family man
“Better no apartment than a poorly insulated apartment?” moderator Louis Klamroth asked provocatively. Geywitz initially defended the Efficiency House 55 (EH55) standard, which came into force at the beginning of 2023. Here, the insulation is still profitable due to the savings in heating, according to experts. However, EH55 is only the transitional solution to the stricter EH40 standard. The Federal Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Construction herself expressed doubts here – even though the state loans for EH40 were only recently presented.
Geywitz rows back
Geywitz admitted in “Hart aber fair” that the new buildings, which are very well insulated according to EH40, would then have to be passively ventilated, because otherwise there would be problems with the indoor climate. “A very technical solution” was chosen here. “Does that mean you don’t want that at all?” Klamroth asked. Geywitz confirmed: “It shouldn’t be EH40 as it is now. Instead, we have to be honest and ask ourselves: What actually is a climate-friendly building?”
“I think we’re falling short if we just look at the energy consumption of the building,” said the social democrat self-critically. The energy requirement for additional insulating materials and components for ventilation must also be taken into account. “My wish is that it is less technical, but that we also work more with sustainable, recycled materials,” Geywitz demanded. “It will then also be cheaper.” According to the previous plans of the traffic light coalition, the Building Energy Act is to be adapted to the EH40 standards on January 1, 2025.
On the other hand, Geywitz does not think much of a postponement of the heat pump regulation from 2024 to 2025, as she made clear in “Hard but fair”. The likelihood that politicians will then “dare” to take the step is not much greater. That is why the necessary will to make difficult changes is now needed, the building minister probably also appealed to Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Bündnis ’90/Die Grünen). He had signaled “pragmatism” at the appointment. She made it clear: “We have arrived at the tough debates.”
However, Geywitz also demanded movement from the construction industry. Most standards are not laws, but are set up by the industry as DIN standards. For a long time, perfection came before the question of what it actually costs. “Can it be ten percent less perfect if we save 30 percent in costs?” says Geywitz.
“It’s not being built anymore”
“It is no longer being built. Private demand has fallen to virtually zero,” said contractor Dirk Salewski on “Hart aber fair”. He bemoaned high interest rates, a federal jumble of building codes and failed policies. “We are currently building for the needy and for millionaires. And everything in between is left and right of the way,” criticized Salewski to applause from the studio audience.
According to the President of the Federal Association of Independent Real Estate and Housing Companies, he is currently saving his company with social housing construction. “You don’t earn money with that,” he wanted to clarify. “This prevents the company from going bankrupt. I don’t want to lose my good people.”
At Erdal Balci, sympathy for the businessman Salewski was limited. The family man, who had been looking for a house near Hanover or Bremen for six years without success, complained that the industry had made excellent money for years. But the search is now over, said the industrial clerk. “Successful?” Klamroth wanted to know. Unfortunately, no. “It’s no longer feasible,” replied the guest, referring to the rise in construction interest.
In the meantime, Balci is even glad that he didn’t find a house. A colleague wants to sell his paid-off home for fear of upcoming expenses for heat pumps and thermal insulation so that his children don’t inherit the costs. Matzig from the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” stated that the German dream of owning a home was over for the time being. His proposed solution: “We have to ruthlessly cut away the diseased proliferations of housing construction. But I’ve been waiting for this for decades. I’ve heard it too often.”
