Klara Geywitz (SPD): Minister of Construction wants to stop compulsory renovation for houses

“I will not support any proposal that makes it compulsory for individual buildings to be technically renovated. And I’m assuming that other EU countries won’t do that either,” said Construction Minister Klara Geywitz (47, SPD) to BILD am SONNTAG.

In plain language: the building minister wants to stop the EU’s obligation to refurbish houses! The alternative plan: Geywitz does not want to evaluate the individual house when it comes to CO₂ emissions, but residential areas as a whole.

► Geywitz proposes the so-called district approach as a new basis for this. According to this, not every single building has to reduce its CO₂ emissions, but a district as a whole, i.e. a district or a village. Geywitz: “The well-insulated new buildings in the residential area ensure that the old buildings do not have to be renovated immediately because not every house is considered individually”.

The minister refuses to dictate to homeowners by when they have to improve the energy balance of their house and instead relies on voluntary measures, for example after a change of ownership.

The minister explains: “I am against legal obligation to renovate. But if the house is sold, the buyer will want to renovate simply because of the high energy prices. The need for renovation is of course reflected in the purchase price.”

You can read the entire interview with Minister of Construction Klara Geywitz in BILD am SONNTAG.