Demolishing old buildings and replacing them with more energy-efficient new buildings has been considered the silver bullet for a long time. However, if we look at the embodied carbon emissions caused by the production of materials, transportation and construction in addition to operation, we get to see a different picture. In the long run, retrofits produce fewer emissions than new buildings in most cases. One of the greatest opportunities for a change in the building sector in Germany can therefore be identified within the post-war buildings of the 50-70s: these buildings with a high energy consumption equate to around 40% of the stock and it is comparatively easy to refurbish them into ultra-low energy buildings.

Further advantages of renovating and extending the existing building stock are resource conservation, waste avoidance, appreciation and preservation of building culture, and a more caretaking approach to the social environment. Inhabitable space can also be created through additions, conversions and changing a building’s use.

That is why we are calling for a retrofit-friendly construction code, support the demolition moratorium and promote the extension of existing buildings as well as the addition of new structures to existing buildings.

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