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German citizens must get colder every winter — according to co2online GmbH, the amount of energy used to heat residential buildings has decreased by 22% since 2002, sinking from 161 kWh/m2/year to 126 kWh/ m2/year. The company claims it has collected data from over a million homes.
Johannes Hengstenberg, CEO of co2online, is enthusiastic about the downward slide. “This shows a positive trend in developing energy-efficient residences in Germany, and simultaneously provides incentive to increase energy conservation efforts,” he said. “The legal requirements for new buildings and renovation of existing buildings are to thank for the current level of conservation.” Hengstenberg also thinks that many more old buildings — the bulk of the structures analyzed — have further potential for energy conservation.
However, Germany has a long way to go to reach its stated climate protection goals by 2020; the current rate of improvement is insufficient. Co2online feels that a three-fold approach consisting of requests, promotion, and information is necessary to motivate the citizens. To help address the issues of promotion and information, they sponsor the site www.heizatlas.de — energy consumption and building renovations in individual states, counties, and municipalities.
Co2online is a non-profit limited liability company campaigning to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide.
Source: Pelletshome
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