Germany adopts energy saving measures

Temperature capped in administrations and no more hot water in public buildings: theGermany, which fears a shortage of gas, promulgated a series of measures on Wednesday to save energy, calling on individuals and businesses to follow the example. “We don’t want to measure temperatures in bedrooms, and individual freedom should matter“, but the measures “call for responsibility» homes so that they «contributeto reducing energy consumption, explained the Minister of the Economy, Robert Habeck.

The public authorities intend to set an example: heating in administrations and public buildings will be capped at 19 degrees from September 1, according to a decree issued on Wednesday. Heating will even be limited to 12 degrees where employees perform intensive physical work. It will be turned off in common areas such as hallways and there will be no hot water for washing hands. In companies, the minimum temperatures to be respected will be lowered. A way to encourage, without forcing, the private sector to participate in the effort. Hospitals and social institutions are exempt from the measures.

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In the rental sector, private lessors may decide to lower the heating below the minimum temperatures fixed in the contracts to save energy. The measures decided on Wednesday should make it possible to reduce gas consumption in Germany by 2%. “That means we still have a long way to go“, warned Robert Habeck while the first European economy should reduce its consumption by 20% if it wants to escape shortages this winter, according to the models of the experts. “Without a general participation of companies but also of the population, we will not save enough gas“, insisted the minister.

Other measures decided, businesses will no longer be able to keep their doors open if the interior of the store is heated, the night lighting of buildings will be prohibited and light advertisements extinguished between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. The heating of private swimming pools will also be prohibited from September 1 for the six months of validity of the decree, if it consumes electricity or gas from the public network. For several weeks, the government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for national mobilization to save energy, the prices of which have exploded, and while the supply could deteriorate this winter due to the war in Ukraine. Germany depended at the beginning of June to 35% on Russian gas for its imports, against 55% before the war in Ukraine. More than 50% of the heating of the fireplaces is always ensured with gas.