Does a controlled residential ventilation system with heat recovery count as heating?

Hello,

Your contract clearly states what you are allowed to do and what you are not. It is only about heating. You did not sign a prohibition against energy saving, nor can they forbid you to "keep" the (already purchased from them!) heat via a controlled residential ventilation system.

Can "they" really not do that (this part of the "kept heat" reduces the energy demand on the district heating supplier) or does the following clear statement before purchase:

"commits.. to connect to the biomass heating plant and to purchase all necessary heating energy for the heating and hot water supply of the house to be built from there. Any other heating of the property except with an open fireplace and/or tiled stove and/or solar energy is not permitted"

not set the pace by the seller and the only way to escape this restriction is to give up the property?

Kind regards

"Any heating of the property other than with an open fireplace and/or tiled stove and/or solar energy is not permitted"

But in my opinion, that's exactly the point. It is not about heating, but about saving energy. Then a higher efficiency (e.g. insulation) of the house would also have to be prevented. I can't imagine that preventing something like that is allowed under the Energy Saving Ordinance (although, well, we do live in bureaucratic Germany)

Could it be that your heat supplier is accidentally confusing the controlled residential ventilation with heat recovery with an air-source heat pump? Maybe you should calmly explain to him the fundamental difference between a heat pump and heat recovery!!! And that a heat exchanger does not generate energy (but only recovers the heat provided by the heat supplier), that is quite obvious.

.... And that a heat exchanger does not generate energy (but only recovers the heat provided by the heat supplier), that is quite obvious.

Correct! And not 100%, but maybe 80%, depending on the HX.

best regards