Assumption 5: Potential energy savings: buildings – motor vehicles – power plants
The cheapest and most sustainable energy is always the energy that we don’t consume in the first place. This increases the importance of energy efficiency in the short to medium term. Modernising buildings with inadequate insulation, lowering fuel consumption and modernising motor vehicles all have the potential to save energy.
90% of the buildings in Germany have inadequate thermal insulation. The systematic modernisation of Germany’s older buildings, combined with better heating system technology and enhanced building shell insulation, has the potential to yield energy savings of between 50 and 80 per cent.
Additional energy savings are possible through the use of intelligent building technologies, for example by networking ITC technologies (PC and telephone) with building services (heating systems, household devices, etc.). There is also scope for energy savings and CO2 reductions in the power plant sector (Assumption 6), the transport sector – especially in relation to motor vehicles (Assumption 10) and in the industrial and services sector. It is necessary to provide users with incentives, such as securing the participation of all energy customers in CO2 certificate trading. The government must work together with energy supply companies to motivate consumers to save energy.
More information on Bullensee Assumption 5 is available in the booklet “Further considerations on energy conservation”. Alternatively, you can make use of our service and order a printed copy. Document available in German language.