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Apply for a loan with a repayment subsidy for the construction or purchase of energy-efficient commercial buildings

Service Description

The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) promotes measures to increase energy efficiency.
You can receive a loan of up to EUR 25 million for the following measures:

  • New construction or purchase of energy-efficient commercial buildings that meet the requirements for a KfW efficiency building,
  • energy-efficient expansion of commercial buildings that do not yet fall within the scope of the Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV), but meet the requirements for a KfW efficiency building after the expansion,
  • energy-efficient expansion of commercial buildings by more than 50 square meters that meet the requirements for a KfW efficiency building.

The funding covers measures for the preparation, implementation and commissioning of the funded measure, such as ancillary work or planning costs.

You will not receive funding:

  • if you do not use the building exclusively for commercial purposes (for example, if you also live there),
  • for commercial buildings with oil-fired heating,
  • if you rent or lease out the building for residential purposes,
  • for vacation homes and apartments,
  • for commercial buildings used primarily for agricultural purposes,
  • if you have already started the measure before submitting the application.

There is a benchmark for energy-efficient buildings, the KfW Efficiency Building Standard. The lower the number, the more efficient your building is and the less energy you need. The following standards are subsidized:

  • KfW Efficiency Building 55,
  • KfW Efficiency Building 70.

If you carry out your measure in accordance with the KfW Efficiency Building 55 standard, you can receive a repayment subsidy of 5 percent of the loan amount, up to a maximum of EUR 50 per square meter of net floor area.
If you implement your measure in accordance with the KfW Efficiency Building 70 standard, you will not receive a repayment subsidy.

You will only receive the repayment subsidy once you have completed your measure and provided proof of completion to KfW. You must provide proof of this:

  • that you have used the money for the measure applied for,
  • that you have achieved the KfW Efficiency Building Standard.

You must keep all documents relating to the eligible costs.

Applications for funding are processed by the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW).

You have no claim to approval of the funding.

Process flow

You must submit your application via a financing partner.

  • Plan your measure with an energy efficiency expert. Find an energy efficiency expert in your area on the website of the German Energy Agency (dena).
  • Fill out the confirmation of the application online - preferably together with your expert.
  • Talk to your financing partner (e.g. the bank where you would like to take out your financing) about including a promotional loan. They will advise you on which documents are required and will submit the application to KfW on your behalf.
  • Once KfW has approved your application, you will conclude a loan agreement with your financing partner.
  • As soon as you have received approval for your funding, you can start the construction work or conclude the purchase contract.
  • Depending on the progress of the construction work, your financing partner will pay you the loan in one lump sum or in installments.
  • Once you have completed the project, you must provide your financing partner with proof,
    • that you have spent the money from the loan on the planned measure and
    • that your measure meets the standard for KfW efficiency buildings.
  • Your financing partner checks and confirms your evidence and forwards it to KfW.
  • If KfW has also checked the evidence, you will receive the repayment subsidy as a credit to your loan account. This reduces your loan term.

Note:
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can apply for additional subsidies from the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) for advice from an energy efficiency expert.

Requirements

Applications may be submitted by

  • domestic and foreign commercial companies that are majority privately owned
  • freelancers, for example doctors, tax consultants, architects
  • Companies that provide (energy) services to commercial buildings as part of a contracting agreement

Further requirements:

  • The building must be used for commercial purposes
  • Your measure must meet the following standards:
    • KfW Efficiency Building 55
      or
    • KfW efficiency building 70
  • You must plan your measure with an energy efficiency expert. This expert must meet the requirements of Section 21 of the Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV).

Which documents are required?

You must submit the following with your application:

  • Confirmation of the application
  • Declaration of the size of your company
    • Simplified self-declaration for SMEs (KfW form number 600 000 0095) for independent companies without links to other companies
      or
    • Self-declaration SME (KfW form number 600 000 0196) with information sheet SME definition
  • When applying for financing with "de minimis" funding, the following information is also required:
    • Attachment "De-minimis" declaration of the applicant on "De-minimis" aid already received (KfW form number 600 000 0075)

Once you have completed your measure, you must submit the following documents:

  • Confirmation after implementation

What are the fees?

  • not applicable

What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?

  • Application before the start of construction work
  • Loan drawdown period: within 12 months of approval, extension to a maximum of 36 months is possible
  • Commitment fee: you pay no commitment fee in the first 12 months after approval
  • Proof of use of funds: within 15 months of full disbursement of the loan

Processing duration

  • Processing of the application by KfW: usually 3 to 5 days

Notes:
You can start implementing the measure immediately after you have been approved for funding.
KfW funding takes just as long as standard construction or real estate financing for companies. Your financial advisor will inform you of his current processing times.

Legal basis

Appeal

  • Forms: yes
  • Online procedure possible: no
  • Written form required: yes
  • Personal appearance required: yes (depends on the procedure with the financing partner)

Note:
You can obtain all the necessary documents from your financing partner. The KfW application is submitted by your financing partner.

Further Information

Author

Forwarding service: Deep link to the original portal

The text was automatically translated based on the German content.

Technically approved by

Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi)

Professionally released on

12.08.2020

Source: Zuständigkeitsfinder Thüringen (Linie6PLus)

Competent Authority

Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW)

Address
Palmengartenstraße 5-9
60325 Frankfurt am Main
Telephone
+49 800 5399-001
Fax
+49 69 74319-500
E-Mail
Contact us
WWW
Website of the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW)
Opening times
  • Monday to Friday: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm
  • For advice on financing and applications:
    Arrange an appointment with a financing partner of your choice.