Energiewende: Studie: Viele Mehrfamilienhäuser sind bereit für Wärmepumpen

A large number of multifamily homes in Germany are technically suitable for low-temperature heating systems such as heat pumps, according to a study by the building service Techem from Eschborn. The analysis evaluated the thermal data of 1.1 million apartments, revealing that around 40% of the multifamily house stock is already ready for low-temperature systems without the need for a heat exchanger swap, such as heat pumps or low-temperature heat networks.

With a heat exchanger replacement, this percentage rises to approximately 80%, and even 90% if additional booster heaters are used. Only the remaining 10% would require significant renovations, like switching to floor heating or district heating systems, along with additional insulation. Wärmepumpen (heat pumps) also prove to be more cost-effective for tenants, with the lowest thermal costs per square meter among all examined heating systems in multifamily homes.

In 2025, energy consumption for heat pumps remained relatively stable, while traditional heating systems experienced significant cost increases. The study found that households in multifamily homes with heat pumps paid an average of 8.80 Euros per square meter for space heating, compared to 9.36 Euros for pellet boilers, 12.97 Euros for oil boilers, 13.92 Euros for natural gas, and 16.02 Euros for district heating.

Regional differences in average heating costs were also observed, with the Saarland being the most expensive at 14.50 Euros per square meter, followed by Schleswig-Holstein (12.77 Euros) and Hessen (12.76 Euros). Berlin had the lowest heating costs at 10.34 Euros per square meter, with North Rhine-Westphalia and Bremen close behind at 10.69 and 10.72 Euros, respectively.

Notable city-specific differences include Ravensburg, Reutlingen, and Sömmerda, where heating costs reached 13.34, 13.22, and 13.10 Euros per square meter, respectively.