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Apply for a loan with a repayment subsidy for energy-efficient refurbishment of commercial buildings

If you invest in measures for the energy-efficient refurbishment of commercial buildings, you can apply for a loan with a repayment subsidy under certain conditions.

Responsible for you

KfW Bankengruppe

Street address

Palmengartenstraße 5 - 9
60325 Frankfurt am Main

Postal address

Palmengartenstraße 5 - 9

60325 Frankfurt am Main

Email

info@kfw.de

Website

www.kfw.de

Mehr zur Behörde

Procedure details

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

  • Insulation of walls, roof surfaces, storey ceilings and floor surfaces,
  • renewal and upgrading of windows, curtain walls, external doors and gates,
  • measures to improve summer thermal insulation,
  • installation, replacement or optimisation of air-conditioning and ventilation systems,
  • initial connection to local or district heating,
  • renewal or optimisation of heat/cold distribution and storage,
  • Renewal or optimisation of heat/cold generation through
    • radiant heating systems,
    • warm air generators,
    • heat-led combined heat and power or combined heat, power and cooling plants,
  • replacement and/or optimization of lighting,
  • Installation or optimisation of
    • measurement and control technology,
    • building automation.

You will also receive funding for measures to prepare, implement and commission the funded measure, such as ancillary work or planning costs.

You will not receive any subsidies

  • if you do not use the building exclusively for commercial purposes (for example, you also live there),
  • if you rent or lease the building for residential use,
  • for holiday homes and holiday apartments,
  • for commercial buildings used mainly for agricultural purposes,
  • if you have already started with the measure before you submitted the application.

You receive a repayment subsidy of 20 percent of the loan amount. You can receive a maximum repayment subsidy of EUR 200 for each square metre of renovated net floor area.

You will only receive the repayment subsidy once you have completed your measure and provided KfW with proof of its implementation. To do this you must prove

  • that you have used the money for the measure you applied for,
  • that your measure has achieved energy savings.

You must keep all invoices and receipts relating to the eligible costs.

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

You are not entitled to the grant.

Applications may be submitted by:

  • domestic and foreign commercial enterprises, the majority of which are privately owned
  • freelance professionals, e.g. doctors, tax consultants, architects
  • Companies that provide (energy) services to commercial buildings under a contracting agreement.

Further requirements:

  • it must be a commercially used building
  • Your measure must meet minimum technical standards
  • 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).

  • Required Documents

    When submitting your application, you must submit:

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

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

    • Confirmation after completion

You must submit your application through a financing partner.

  • Plan your measure with an energy efficiency expert. Find an energy efficiency expert near you on the website of the German Energy Agency (dena).
  • Fill out the application confirmation online - preferably together with your expert.
  • Talk to your financing partner (for example, the bank where you want to take out your financing) about including a subsidised 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 for funding, you conclude a loan agreement with your financing partner.
  • As soon as the approval for your subsidy has been received, you can begin with the construction work or conclude the purchase contract.
  • Depending on the progress of construction, your financing partner will pay you the loan in one sum or in instalments.
  • When you have completed the measure, you must provide proof to your financing partner,
    • that you have spent the money from the loan on the planned measure and
    • that your measure meets the standard for KfW-efficient 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 grants from the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) for advice from an energy efficiency expert.

  • Not applicable

  • Application: before the start of the measure
  • Call period of the loan: within 12 months after loan approval, an extension to a maximum of 36 months is possible.
  • Proof of use of funds: within 15 months after full disbursement of the loan.

  • for processing the application: usually 3 to 5 days.

Notice:
You can start implementing the measure immediately after you have been approved for your funding.

Status: 09.03.2025
Editorially responsible for prodecure description: Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie
Source: Federal Portal