With the new approach, the focus is shifting to overall concepts for construction projects. It is no longer just about energy efficiency, but also about construction methods, energy supply and land consumption. The aim of the city is to set target-oriented cornerstones at a very early stage in the planning process. New housing construction is to be facilitated in a targeted manner, particularly with regard to affordable housing, family living and with a view to the increasing number of single households.
The standards as a building block of the climate plan, with which Bonn aims to become climate-neutral by 2035, apply to new construction projects by third parties where the City of Bonn has the opportunity to exert influence within the framework of contractual agreements. For example, in the case of new construction projects as part of the preparation of development plans and the allocation of municipal land - i.e. mainly for professional developers. The regulations do not apply to construction projects on private land, for which no new planning law needs to be created.
The new Bonn standards for climate-friendly new construction are both a targeted measure in terms of climate neutrality and a contribution to planning security for investors in Bonn. The instruments are:
- The assessment of greenhouse gas emissions over the life cycle: a life cycle assessment summarizes the greenhouse gas emissions caused by the building itself, the building technology, operation and subsequent disposal, so that a more balanced assessment is possible.
- Fossil-free heating and cooling supply on site, or connection to a heating network.
- Compliance with efficiency standards in relation to energy requirements for heating and cooling - whereby the previously valid efficiency standard 55 can still be used here. The 40 energy efficiency standard will not be the only standard set. The city is focusing on climate-friendly overall concepts, demanding sustainable construction methods and, as part of the overall reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, also allowing efficiency standard 55 for residential construction in particular.
- In order to comply with the lower efficiency standard, developers are required to coordinate an optimized space concept with the administration. This defines requirements that are based on the area approach of the NRW housing subsidy and the area key of a new federal subsidy program that requires a minimum number of rooms per total living space. For non-residential buildings, a concept for the multiple use of rooms is required, among other things.
Background
The building sector is responsible for around 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and 90 percent of domestic raw material consumption. It is therefore a very important field of action on the road to climate neutrality. Since 1995, Bonn has had municipal energy efficiency requirements for new buildings that go beyond the legal requirements; the last adjustment took place in 2015. In recent years, individual resolutions have called for more demanding energy efficiency requirements.
In 2023, the Bonn City Council adopted a climate plan that includes concrete steps for various fields of action to achieve CO2 neutrality by 2025. Within this framework, the amendment of the previous "energy guidelines" was set as one of many building blocks. The amendment makes it possible to take a holistic view of the complex relationships between CO2 consumption, resource supply, construction costs and the urgently needed creation of living space.
Further information can be found in the draft resolution (opens in a new tab).