KfW further improves the conditions for promotion under its “Energy-Efficient Refurbishment” programme

• Grants for KfW Efficiency Houses increased by five percentage points
• Repayment bonus of 7.5% introduced for individual measures within the lending programme
• Maximum loan amount raised to EUR 100,000

FRANKFURT, 8-7-2015 — /EuropaWire/ — KfW is making further improvements to the conditions for promotion under its “Energy-Efficient Refurbishment” programme as of 1 August 2015.

In the future, anyone refurbishing their house or flat to make it more energy-efficient will be able to rely on even better promotion from KfW. The ceiling for promotional loans extended as part of the “Energy-Efficient Refurbishment” programme is being raised from EUR 75,000 to EUR 100,000 per housing unit. At the same time, KfW is increasing the repayment bonuses for its lending programme to a maximum of 27.5% of the loan amount (up to EUR 27,500 per housing unit). In the future, builders who pay for refurbishment out of their own pockets will qualify for an investment grant of up to EUR 30,000 for condominiums, for example, or up to EUR 60,000 for two-family houses.

As a rule, the higher the standard of energy efficiency after the refurbishment, the greater the promotion received from KfW. The existing grants for all KfW Efficiency House standards are being increased by five percentage points, and the maximum amounts can be requested for buildings that meet the strictest KfW Efficiency House 55 standard. More recent residential buildings for which the application for planning permission was submitted prior to 1 February 2002 now also qualify for promotion.

And that is not all: individual energy-efficient refurbishment measures will now also be promoted by means of a 7.5% repayment bonus. Individual measures are an option for builders who as yet have nothing to gain from complete refurbishment to a KfW Efficiency House, or who want to refurbish their buildings bit by bit.

The purpose of the “Energy-Efficient Refurbishment” programme is to promote measures aimed at reducing the energy consumption and CO2 emissions of existing residential buildings.

Sigmar Gabriel, German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, said: “We have decided to make further improvements to the conditions for promotion offered as part of the successful KfW programmes. In doing so, we are above all giving consideration to the persistently low interest rates on the market. At the same time, these amendments are also a key instrument for the German “National Energy-Efficiency Action Plan”.

“Making our buildings more energy efficient is a key issue for the energy turnaround. Buildings account for 40% of the energy consumed in Germany. With these changes to the “Energy-Efficient Refurbishment” programme, KfW is improving the way that promotion is provided to builders – and in so doing making an important contribution to achieving the German Federal Government’s energy policy goals,” said Dr Ingrid Hengster, member of the Executive Board of the KfW Group.

Details of the five percentage point increase in investment grants:

• KfW Efficiency House 55: now 30% of eligible investment costs up to a maximum of EUR 30,000 per housing unit
• KfW Efficiency House 70: now 25% of eligible investment costs up to a maximum of EUR 25,000 per housing unit
• KfW Efficiency House 85: now 20% of eligible investment costs up to a maximum of EUR 20,000 per housing unit
• KfW Efficiency House 100: now 17.5% of eligible investment costs up to a maximum of EUR 17,500 per housing unit
• KfW Efficiency House 115: now 15% of eligible investment costs up to a maximum of EUR 15,000 per housing unit
• KfW Efficiency House Monument: now 15% of eligible investment costs up to a maximum of EUR 15,000 per housing unit

Details of the five percentage point increase in repayment bonuses for loans:

• KfW Efficiency House 55: now 27.5% of the amount of the loan up to a maximum of EUR 27,500 per housing unit
• KfW Efficiency House 70: now 22.5% of the amount of the loan up to a maximum of EUR 22,500 per housing unit
• KfW Efficiency House 85: now 17.5% of the amount of the loan up to a maximum of EUR 17,500 per housing unit
• KfW Efficiency House 100: now 15% of the amount of the loan up to a maximum of EUR 15,000 per housing unit
• KfW Efficiency House 115: now 12.5% of the amount of the loan up to a maximum of EUR 12,500 per housing unit
• KfW Efficiency House Monument: now 12.5% of the amount of the loan up to a maximum of EUR 12,500 per housing unit

Other improvements:

• Repayment bonus of 7.5% introduced for individual measures as part of the lending programme
• Ceiling for promotion raised from EUR 75,000 to EUR 100,000 per housing unit
• Change regarding the year of construction: buildings for which the application for planning permission was submitted by 31 January 2002 now qualify for promotion (previously 1 January 1995)

Information on funding options can be found on the website www.kfw.de or obtained from the KfW Infocenter by calling the toll-free number 0800 / 539 9002.

Contact

Sybille Bauernfeind
Phone +49 69 74 31-20 38
Fax +49 69 74 31-32 66
eMail sybille.bauernfeind@kfw.de