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Renovation roadmap
Energy consulting for companies and municipalities
Buildings account for a large proportion of Germany’s energy demand. According to the German Environment Agency, the final energy consumption of buildings is 35%, with the carbon emissions they cause reaching at total of 30%. Energy-efficient construction and renovation can therefore reduce both energy consumption and carbon emissions. To improve the energy efficiency of companies and municipalities and to save costs, a renovation roadmap for non-residential buildings is used to describe the measures required to achieve this.
Read this article to find out about the components of a renovation roadmap and how energielenker can support you in the energy transition.

What is a renovation roadmap?
Renovation roadmaps are ideal for companies and municipalities that wish to have non-residential buildings, such as offices, industrial halls, schools, or sports halls, inspected and, if necessary, renovated to make them more energy efficient. The aim is to integrate energy efficiency and renewable energy into the planning and decision-making process and to exploit all existing potential. A renovation roadmap thus initially describes the optimization and renovation needs of old and new buildings. A structured approach is then required to lower these needs. The basis for a renovation concept is provided by the funding program “Energieberatung für Nichtwohngebäude nach DIN V 18599” (Energy consulting for non-residential buildings according to DIN V 18599).
DIN V 18599
Standard DIN V 18599 specifies how buildings are assessed in terms of energy efficiency.
This includes calculating the useful, final, and primary energy required for heating, cooling, ventilation, hot water, and lighting. Such calculations can be used to assess energy consumption levels and requirements of residential and non-residential buildings, as well as those of new and existing buildings.
Components of an energy-efficient renovation concept
Our energy consultants and certified energy efficiency experts will be happy to support you in each of the progressive project steps below.
1. Building survey
In the first step, the building is surveyed to create a detailed overview of the condition of the property. This includes the building envelope, the space heating system, hot water heating system, the ventilation system, and the lighting. The energy reference data provided is also evaluated. Finally, an energy footprint is drawn up for the property.
2. Development of measures
After the building survey, the quantities of energy consumed are categorized under consumption groups. In addition, energy lost via the building envelope is determined and a structural assessment is performed. Measures are then derived that optimize the current situation and potentially represent the desired target state.
3. Presentation of funding opportunities
Funding may be available for energy or structural optimizations. In this project step, the currently valid funding opportunities are researched and reviewed to establish which subsidies potentially apply to the building in question.
4. Creation of action profiles
Realistic savings potential can be identified and investment costs derived on the basis of the previously conducted building survey. The measures developed in step two are divided into the categories “Energy-related,” “Structural,” “Conceptual,” and “Other.” These categories are then used to create action profiles. The latter describe and coordinate the various measures. The action profiles then form the basis for the further planning and for the invitations to tender for the individual measures.
The action profiles contain the following:
- Description of the measure
- Presentation of the savings in final energy, primary energy, energy costs, and carbon emissions
- Summary of investment costs
- Results of the profitability calculation
- Explanations regarding the applicability of funding programs
5. Development of a renovation roadmap
In the final step, the measures are presented and prioritized based on the expected investment costs and the calculated CO2 reduction and energy savings. The energy-efficient renovation concept maps out the described project steps, and these steps are finally recorded in a report referred to as a renovation roadmap.
What sources of funding are available?
As a rule, renovation roadmaps for non-residential buildings are funded by companies and municipalities. The usual sources of funding are subsidies from KfW Bank, the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA), and state-specific subsidies. Currently, for example, BAFA is providing funding in the scope of the program “Federal Funding for Energy Consulting for Non-Residential Buildings, Facilities, and Systems (EBN).” In “Module 2: Energy Consulting DIN V 18599,” 80% of the total expenditure is subsidized, though only up to a maximum of €8,000. The net floor area of the building is a decisive criterion for the amount of funding.
What step follows the development of a renovation roadmap?
Once a renovation roadmap has been developed by an energy consultant or an energy efficiency expert, the next step is implementation. Here, too, it pays to be vigilant. After all, the funding for renovation measures falling under the Federal Subsidy for Efficient Buildings (BEG) increases with the step-by-step commissioning of eligible measures. Guided by our holistic approach, we are there to support you with our experienced team of architects and building services planners in the implementation of the packages of measures and will accompany you throughout the process through to the finished building.
As with non-residential buildings, we also create renovation roadmaps for residential buildings in the housing industry. The only difference is that other funding criteria apply in this case.
Christof Kattenbeck