Press release No. 52 of December 11, 2024

• Proportion of heat pumps in centrally heated buildings constructed since 1991 up from 2% to 49%
• Baden-Württemberg records highest proportion of heat pumps (58%) in new buildings with central heating systems (built in 2020 or later)
• More detailed census results now available in the census database

WIESBADEN – On 15 May 2022, 49% of new buildings (year of construction: 2020 or later) were equipped with a central heating system which used renewable energy sources such as solar or geothermal energy, ambient heat or exhaust heat (generally with heat pumps). Coinciding with the release of more detailed tables in the census database, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reports that this represents just under 98,000 buildings with residential space in Germany. Baden-Württemberg was top of the list in Germany, recording a share of 58% of heat pumps in new buildings with a central heating system. In Bremen, the proportion was 27%.

The share of heat pumps in centrally heated buildings in Germany has risen from 2% as of 1991 (period of construction: 1991 to 2000) to 49% in new buildings (period of construction from 2020 onwards). Heat pumps were used for heating in 13% of the buildings built in the period from 2001 to 2010, and in 36% of buildings constructed between 2011 and 2019.

When the total stock of buildings with central heating systems is considered, the more recent years of construction account for a rather small proportion, however. 1% of all buildings with central heating were new buildings (2020 or later), 6% of them were built in the period from 2011 to 2019 and 8% between 2001 and 2010. When the sources of heating energy are compared for older buildings with central heating (constructed before 2000), heat pumps only play a minor role (1% to 2%). These older buildings, on the other hand, account for 85% of the total stock of centrally heated buildings.

Almost all Länder recorded an increasing share of heat pumps in buildings constructed in the period from 2001 to 2010 or later. Thüringen is the only Land to buck this trend. There, renewable energy sources were used in 34% of new buildings with central heating that were constructed in 2020 or later, which is down slightly from the 36% recorded for the previous ten-year period of construction (2011-2019).

All the results for "Buildings: energy sources for heating - year of construction (microcensus categories) - type of building (construction)/type of heating" can be found in table 3000G-3008 in the census database.

More detailed census results now available in the census database

The census database is a search tool that allows users to retrieve results of the 2022 Census in tabular form for various regional levels - Germany, Länder, administrative districts, municipalities and boroughs (Berlin, Hamburg) - and combine the data with other variables. Various output formats are available for further data processing. The census database is based on the same technology as the other databases provided by official statistics agencies in Germany. Other applications can also communicate with the database directly (API) via programming languages.

Approximately 150 additional tables are now available in the database, which enable multi-dimensional evaluations based on three subject variables in the areas of population (demographics), education, employment, buildings, dwellings, households and families. Starting in the new year, our next steps will be to publish selected census results for constituencies, as delimited for the 2025 Bundestag election, and the 2011 Census results recalculated based on the territorial boundaries as at 15 May 2022.

Methodological notes:

A central heating system supplies heat to all dwelling units in a building from one central source of heat that is located inside the building (usually in the cellar).

The source of heating energy refers to the energy source used to heat the building. If there are several energy sources in a building, the energy source is the one that supplies heat for the largest proportion of the floor area. Solar/geothermal energy, ambient heat, exhaust air heat: in this case, solar energy or energy from water, air or the ground is collected by means of solar panels, heat pumps or heat exchangers. This includes the heat recovered from the exhaust air of buildings.

The year of construction is the year in which the building was completed for occupancy. If additions, alterations and extensions have been made to the building, the original year of completion applies. For buildings that were rebuilt after complete destruction, the year of construction is the year in which the building was rebuilt.

The results come from the 2022 Census. The 2022 Census was carried out using a register-assisted procedure, as was the 2011 Census. This means that existing administrative data were used - particularly from the population registers. The real estate owners to be surveyed were determined, for instance, on the basis of real property tax data. Where no or not enough administrative data were available or the data quality was insufficient, surveys were conducted to obtain the required data. Roughly 12% of the population were polled in the household survey. Approximately 23 million residential property owners provided information on their property for the census of buildings and housing, as did some 8,000 housing companies.

More information:

These and other results of the 2022 Census can be accessed at www.zensus2022.de. In the press section, you can find current information for the press, press releases, contacts, press photos and further downloads relating to the 2022 Census.

In addition, the website provides:

• The census database as a search tool that allows users to retrieve detailed results of the 2022 Census in tabular form for various regional levels - Germany, Länder, administrative districts, municipalities and boroughs (Berlin, Hamburg) - and combine the data with other variables. Various output formats are available for further data processing. The census database is based on the same technology as the other databases provided by official statistics agencies in GermaOt
• Other applications can also communicate with the database directly (API) via programming languages. The census database contains data on the population (demographics), buildings, dwellings, households, families, education and employment.
• Regional tables for download (in EXCEL format, including machine-readable tables). The regional tables contain data for regional levels - Germany, Länder, administrative regions, urban districts/towns not attached to an administrative district/rural districts, associations of municipalities, and municipalities. They cover the following five subject areas:
  1. Population figures
  2. Demographics
  3. Census of buildings and housing
  4. Education and employment
  5. Households and families
• The Census Atlas, an interactive map which comprises results for the population, buildings and dwellings on the basis of grid cells (10 km, 1 km and 100 m).
• Podcasts, videos and animations with background information (for example about the benefits of the data)
• Links to all applications will be provided at www.zensus2022.de once they are available. We will also notify all subscribers to our Census Newsletter about further additions to our website. You can register for the newsletter on our press page.

For further information:Press office, Tel: +49 611 75 3444

www.zensus2022.de/contact