We are currently presenting the Stuttgart best-practice example of Erwin Reisch in the field of energy-efficient building refurbishment. We have conducted a short interview with Mr. Reisch. Below you can see a photo of him in front of his renovated building.

How long did the renovation process take from the initial planning to completion?

Erwin Reisch: We started planning in the summer of 2021, and the first tenants moved in on February 1, 2023. The refurbishment work itself took around a year from January 2022. Refinements and fine-tuning, for example on the heat pump, are still ongoing.

In an interview with the Energy Consulting Center (EBZ), you described the "funding jungle" that is almost impossible for private individuals to cope with. What tips would you give providers of funding programs to simplify these processes?

Funding providers should put themselves in the position of the average applicant when designing forms. It's not just me who has a hard time with bureaucratic German, but apparently some energy consultants do too. I like the idea of a "renovation coach" on the provider side who can help applicants by phone or even just in a chat if necessary - even when navigating through the funding jungle.

What was/is the reaction of the neighborhood and tenants to your building renovation?

The building was unoccupied as of April 1, 2022 - one of the reasons we did comprehensive renovations now. The new tenants actually only had to get used to the unfamiliar controlled living space ventilation with heat recovery: After the heat pump operates absolutely silently and the sound insulation with the new windows is excellent, the living space ventilation is the "loudest" noise in the renovated apartments.

So far, I have not heard any complaints from the neighborhood - on the contrary: The facade PV in particular causes passers-by to pause and reflect time and again. And I deliberately wanted it that way... best practice.

Thank you very much for the interview!