KfW BEG funding stopped 261, 262, 263, 264, 461, 463, 464

Every somewhat large general contractor already does this almost routinely today. And thus, even the small subcontractor is used to it. However, the small owner-managed company with a few employees, which has always worked alone until now, has to adapt.

I just heard something different from two sources today. A medium-sized general contractor is now sending people to training first because they have no idea what the seal involves and whether they can meet the requirements. The architect says the same. Our energy consultant was super stressed today because people are calling him, asking how to get all the proofs and ultimately the certification. That doesn’t sound to me like it’s all so easy and common…

You really have to engage with the subject matter. It doesn't work just like that. The average energy consultant will also have to continue their education.

As mentioned before, this is now quite normal in commercial construction. I develop construction products for the commercial sector. An environmental product declaration UPD/EPD is standard. Additionally, we have a Cradle to Cradle certification for a variety of products. This evaluates the entire life cycle. However, we have colleagues with a degree in this area who carry out the certifications. There is a lot of work involved.

You really have to deal with the subject matter. It doesn't work just like that. The standard energy consultant will also have to further educate themselves.

As mentioned before, this is now quite normal in commercial construction. I develop building products for the commercial sector. An Environmental Product Declaration UPD/EPD is standard. Additionally, we have Cradle to Cradle certification for a variety of products. This evaluates the entire life cycle. However, we have colleagues with a degree in this field who carry out the certifications. There is quite a lot of work involved.

Whether 5000m2 of commercial space or 150m2 of residential space, the effort is roughly the same. And that's where I see the problem. In construction, the work steps are almost the same. Even if they differ in type and scope. 10x funding is more worthwhile with the same fixed office work costs than 1x. The additional cost for building materials weighs less.

Somehow, I do wonder who all submitted to Kfw and what their motives were? It was like Black Friday, it seems to me. Apart from those who were planning Kfw 40 anyway because they consider it a good thing:

- the association lady had explained at length during the 55er-Aus that Kfw40 is not economically feasible for multi-storey buildings and the consequence is to build only according to minimum standards.
- and here, it was repeatedly emphasized for single-family houses that the subsidy does not cover the additional costs compared to Kfw 55. And that was BEFORE the halving of the subsidy amount.

Therefore, I wonder if there wasn’t also a good deal of irrationality involved?

We managed to submit our application for the 461 grant within 10 minutes yesterday. Today we received a rejection stating that the funding is only for new buildings in flood-prone areas. The KfW reportedly received thousands of such incorrect applications. Could this have been seen anywhere beforehand? As far as I know, this wasn’t mentioned in the media reports.

Hi Bruxerbob, same here with us, but no rejection so far. May I ask when your confirmation of application (BZA) was? Was the application automatically approved upon submission or set for review? That would be interesting. I haven’t completely lost hope yet.

Therefore, I wonder if there wasn’t also a good deal of irrationality involved?

No, Germans like to complain. But it’s not necessarily so uneconomical if the base house already has a decent standard. In our house, we also initially had a solid 55 standard and the photovoltaic system was already planned. With smaller upgrades and the battery, you can quickly make the leap to 40+. The thing with NH is a different story. Space efficiency is a very flexible concept, as is accessibility. For me, the idea behind it also leans toward "a house for a lifetime" instead of removing the barriers that prevent people from changing houses as they go through new stages of life.