Berlin startup to wrap homes in 'second skin' as heating costs soar

A Berlin-based startup plans to renovate apartments in Bochum. They will give them a customized wooden "second skin" that makes them more efficient and energy-efficient.

Ecoworks' project reflects the growing demand for energy-saving and climate-friendly renovations as a response to Germany’s energy crisis, which has led to a rise in heating prices.

Prior to the crisis, landlords viewed renovations to improve energy efficiency in residential buildings as something they could have rather than an essential part of a sector that failed to meet its CO2 targets last year.

This is changing due to rising energy prices. A new law has split a CO2 tax between landlords and tenants based on the efficiency of buildings.

Emanuel Heisenberg (CEO of Ecoworks), said that the Bochum apartment buildings have a 70% to 80% energy savings.

Germany's largest economy and home to 35% of Europe's total energy consumption, buildings account for almost a third. Nearly a third of Germany's 19.25 million residences have the lowest and most efficient energy efficiency ratings, according to a February study by GdW housing association.

According to Andreas Schichel, a spokesperson for GdW, a spike in interest rates, rising energy and raw material prices, as well as constantly changing subsidies, are limiting investment opportunities.

Additional barriers to landlords being able to accept such projects include a shortage of skilled workers and long renovation processes.

Heisenberg's company is working to overcome these challenges by creating prefabricated climate-neutral facades that take only a third of the time and require half the labor force.

"Normally, such projects take six to nine months. In our case, it takes 15 weeks," said Heisenberg.

The company claims that its renovations are carbon neutral by using cellulose as insulation and wood as the outer façades.

"You cannot take down all the houses and rebuild them with cement with steel. It is well beyond our carbon budget. Heisenberg stated that renewable materials like wood are required in order to build."

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