Instruments to Realize Energy Saving Potentials in the German Residential Sector

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions into the earth’s atmosphere must be drastically reduced in order to mitigate global climate change. The most important aim is to avoid unnecessary energy consumption by efficient energy use. Efficient energy use is the safest, most environmentally friendly and least expensive way to “energy acquisition”. Numerous insulating materials and insulating systems are available on the market for thermal insulation in old buildings, which lead to high energy savings in the case of physically proper workmanship. The aim of environmental policy must be to exploit as far as possible the technical energy saving potential in buildings up to the year 2050. Only then this sector can make its contribution to the required reduction of CO₂ emissions by 80 per cent. The “emission uptake capacity of the biosphere” is an asset which has so far been used almost free of charge. Energy taxes may serve to allocate the external costs of energy use to the polluter.