New BAFA funding - Air-to-water heat pump with solar thermal

I have no comment on the general contractor; I would have assumed that the contract with the general contractor applies there. We are building with individual contracts and I assume that the commissioning of the heating installer is relevant, so the date on the contract with him!?

Yes, in the situation with an architect it is significantly more relaxed. The timing here is the signature/order with the heating installer. A prior planning service of the system can also be carried out (or by the architect?). If this is done by the installer of the system, I would separate it contractually. That way you should be on the safe side.

The BAFA application must be submitted before the contractor has commissioned the heating engineer.

Yes, in the situation with an architect it is significantly more relaxed. The timing here is the signature/order with the heating engineer. A prior planning service of the system can also be carried out (or the architect?). If this is done by the installer of the system, I would separate it contractually. You should be on the safe side there.

Mmh, yes, and I would say that if the parties (architect, client, and heating installer) trust each other reasonably well, it is a very individual agreement as to which service (planning) is provided until when and from when it is commissioned (date of the construction contract), right?

The BAFA application must be submitted before the general contractor has commissioned the heating engineer.

Exactly. I then received an additional form from BAFA that the general contractor had to fill out.

At the sample selection, we were told that the problem was that with this premature application (i.e. before signing the contract), no proof of thermal insulation, heating load, underfloor heating design, or exact heat pump sizing had been done yet. In our base price, there was a heat pump with, I believe, 5 kW included, which at that time would have had an annual performance factor below 4.5 anyway. However, a 3 kW one was used for the execution, which, through optimized design, would actually achieve over 4.5. Ultimately, I preferred an optimized and more economical heat pump over the years rather than the subsidy of 1500€ or whatever it was at that time. So that's that, but well, it could be that there is now a new regulation that might still benefit you a bit.

If the air-to-water heat pump only does the heating, it also comes in above 4.5. For hot water, you can then additionally use a domestic hot water air-to-water heat pump that also cools the house in summer. With the [Bafa Förderung] you get it for free.