Press release No. 31 of August 24, 2022

• Up-to-date and regional data on energy sources used for heating
• First nationally comparable official data on net rents and vacancy reasons

• 20.7 million responses already received in the census of buildings and housing

   

  WIESBADEN - The 2022 Census counts not only the population but also all residential buildings and dwellings in Germany. In this census of buildings and housing, owners of residential property have answered 20.7 million questionnaires on their residential object since May 2022. “The 2022 Census provides a detailed data basis on housing. Considering especially the current energy crisis, we will be able to provide important and up-to-date data on how people in Germany heat their dwellings”, said Dr. Georg Thiel, President of the Federal Statistical Office. “The 2022 Census is taking a comprehensive snapshot of the energy sources used for heating in all residential buildings, with data broken down to the local level. This means that the census results are a major data basis for the energy transition in Germany.”
  The results of the census will be released in November 2023. When the surveys are finished in autumn 2022, the census data will be checked, processed and evaluated.

For the first time since 2011: figures on residential space for the whole of Germany
The census of buildings and housing will supply figures relating to the distribution of residential buildings and dwellings in all of Germany. Questions were asked not only on the size and the year of construction but also, for the first time, on net rents exclusive of heating expenses, any vacancy and the reasons for that. The census will thus provide a comprehensive overview of the levels of rent for existing tenancies in the whole of Germany. The new data collected by the 2022 Census will thus help to meet the increasing need for information on rents that is nationally comparable. Also, for the first time, municipalities will obtain detailed information on how many dwellings and residential buildings are vacant, for how long they have been vacant and what the reasons are.

Census questions were answered online in most cases
The answers in the census of buildings and housing were given online in most cases. 18.3 million of the total 20.7 million questionnaires received so far are online questionnaires as registered by the statistical offices. “We would like to thank the people for participating. This shows that maximising the proportion of resource-efficient online response has been an adequate approach of the statistical offices of the Federation and the Länder”, said Thiel.

Länder send out first reminders
Three months after the census reference date, responses have not been received by all owners or managers of residential space contacted. Reminding procedures now start in the statistical offices of the Länder as an obligation to provide information to the 2022 Census has been established by the legislators. In addition, first letters are still sent out to people who have been reported to be new owners, for instance.

Further information on the 2022 Census and pictures for reproduction are provided at www.zensus2022.de. There you will also find sample questionnaires (in German) of the 2022 Census surveys. If you are interested, we will be pleased to find you interview partners to discuss census issues.

Follow us on www.twitter.com/zensus2022!

For further information: www.zensus2022.de/contact