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DIW Berlin and ista develop "Heat Monitor Germany"

Report of September 11, 2014

The energy service provider, ista, and the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin) are jointly developing the new "Heat Monitor Germany". From autumn 2014, this monitoring programme is to create greater transparency on heating energy consumption and costs throughout Germany. As a result, measures to achieve greater energy efficiency in the building sector are to be implemented more realistically and accurately in future. Data on the energy consumption of over three million apartments form the basis for the "Heat Monitor Germany".

The energy consumption of residential properties is assuming a key role in connection with the energy transition. Roughly 30% of final energy in Germany is consumed by private households - about three-quarters of this is heating energy. Above all, the further rise in energy costs forecast will lead to ever higher costs for consumers. However, until now, very few regional surveys on actual energy consumption and energy costs in German residential properties have recorded this development. The "Heat Monitor Germany" is now to create clarity. It offers information on actual heating energy consumption and costs using a database comprising over three million apartments throughout Germany. The aim of the "Heat Monitor Germany" is to provide politics, the housing industry and science with a reliable working tool to be able to assess the current energy situation on the basis of actual consumption. Therefore, energy-saving measures – especially against the background of the energy-efficient urban and district refurbishment programme – can, in future, be defined, calculated and implemented in a more targeted manner. In the long term, consumers will therefore also benefit from the index in that actual energy consumption and costs will be the basis for the further implementation of efficiency action in buildings.

"With the Heat Monitor Germany, we will provide information on actual heating energy consumption and heating costs in Germany and identify regional differences," says Walter Schmidt, CEO of ista International. "Only when we have this transparency can we assess what effect individual efficiency measures actually have on possible energy and CO2 savings. We are absolutely delighted that we can pursue this trendsetting project with DIW Berlin."

"DIW Berlin and ista complement each other perfectly in cooperating on the Heat Monitor Germany," says Professor Karsten Neuhoff, Head of the Climate Policy department at DIW Berlin. "Ista's comprehensive database enables us to realistically observe how everyday energy consumption can be influenced and controlled. As a result, concrete recommendations for action can be derived from the analysis of the data."

In future, the "Heat Monitor Germany" is to be published at least once a year. Both cooperation partners are channelling their specific know-how into the cooperation project. For example, the energy service provider, ista, is providing anonymised data from heating cost bills and energy certificates. DIW is introducing proven methodological know-how from empirical economic research and expertise from real estate and environmental economics.

More information about ista at www.ista.com.

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