Bureaucracy: GEG demands free consultation

The Building Energy Act (GEG) only permits the installation of heating, new windows, or insulation after a free consultation. The bureaucratic burden for tradespeople is enormous, says entrepreneur Frederik Lippe.

This article is part of the special feature on bureaucratic madness in the skilled trades.

The German Building Energy Act (GEG) only permits the installation of a heating system, insulation, or new windows if a consultation with a qualified installer, heating engineer, chimney sweep, or energy consultant has taken place beforehand. "Tradespeople must offer a free 20-minute initial consultation ," reports master carpenter and energy consultant Frederik Lippe from Strausberg. This is mandatory for buyers when purchasing a property or for owners undertaking extensive renovations of single-family or two-family homes.

In 2024, the amendment to the GEG (also known as the Heating Act) stipulated that mandatory consultation by an energy consultant, installer, heating engineer, or chimney sweep is required before the installation of an oil or gas heating system . The installation of a heat pump is exempt from this requirement.

Additional bureaucratic step

Tradespeople are not only required to offer the consultation and include it in their quote, but also – if they conduct it themselves – to document it. "This has created an additional bureaucratic hurdle ," criticizes the chairman of the East Brandenburg Junior Craftsmen's Association.

Because the funding conditions change so rapidly, it's virtually impossible for businesses to stay up-to-date. Even if they create a template for the meeting, the effort is enormous , reports Frederik Lippe. The regulation has been in place since 2020 , so the entrepreneur knows from experience: "Such a template is obsolete after three months. Bureaucratic hurdles like these should be eliminated."

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Building Energy Act (GEG) The Building Energy Act (GEG) came into force on November 1, 2020 – and with it, the obligation to provide consultation. As part of a first amendment, the previously applicable new building standard regarding annual primary energy demand was raised on January 1, 2023. A second amendment to the Act made the use of renewable energies mandatory when installing new heating systems ( the "Heating Act" ). These changes came into force on January 1, 2024. Source: Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building

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