Capital investment: residential and commercial buildings in Berlin

Climate change, modernisation and urban development

As we reported a few weeks ago, cities are in a state of flux. No matter if it is about the densification of living space, for example by putting new floors on top of supermarkets or even completely new city ordinances, like in Taipei. Green cities are the future, more housing on less land. To make it happen, there are more and more ideas, like this week presented in Focus Online, Environment Minister Svenja Schulze wants stricter regulations: One million households threatened with expensive conversion of chimneys and flues. Also in the manager magazine the will for change shows up, e.g. by skyscrapers from wood. The view of the green change does not only have positive aspects. If you look at your own wallet, you will agree with the Handelsblatt that this week debates the increase in costs due to the CO2 tax.

Also interesting: Berlin – Greening of roofs becomes mandatory.

Skyscraper made of wood – new construction from sustainable resources

Change is everywhere. Even animals and plants are changing their habitats. As you can read in the article Europe’s extraordinary gardens, tropical fruits now grow in Europe, where as grapefruits in London and magnolias with a view of the Alps.

CO2 tax – Do we really need it?

Professor Dr. Harald Lesch takes a deeper look at the debate about the CO2 tax. The video says: “Fridays for Future is calling for a CO2 tax of 180 euros per tonne of CO2. No problem, you might think, what normal person produces a ton of CO2? In fact, we do, directly and indirectly, almost monthly: 10 tons of CO2 per year per German citizen.” – Learn more interesting facts in the video:

Real Estate Shares: Price Week

The top 3 winners at the moment at a glance. Here you can find all real estate shares.

Immofinanz Real Estate Investments AG

Eyemaxx Real Estate

Course Provider:

CR Capital Real Estate

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Real Estate News:

Manager Magazin about Singapore’s most expensive penthouse

There are also new headlines this week from Manager Magazin such as “Researchers present concepts: “Skyscrapers made of wood are a natural answer to climate change”” as well as “Apartment for $54 million: Billionaire vacuum cleaner Dyson buys Singapore’s most expensive penthouse”. More headlines:

• Apartment for 54 million dollars: Billionaire vacuum cleaner Dyson buys Singapore’s most expensive penthouse

Focus Online answers questions on property tax reform

The Focus Online blog reports on “Environment minister wants stricter guidelines: One million households threatened with expensive conversion of chimneys and flues” and “Courts have ruled: Service charges – these are the ten most important rulings for tenants and landlords”. More news and current laws:

• The most important answers to the reform: Scholz plan for new property tax: Who now has to pay more rent
• Environment minister wants stricter regulations: One million households threatened with expensive conversion of chimneys and flues
• Courts have ruled: Service charges – these are the ten most important rulings for tenants and landlords

Did you already know? These are the most frequent searches in Germany for property tax:

• When is the property tax paid?
• Who pays the property tax?
• What is the property tax A and B?
• What is the difference between property tax and land transfer tax?

IM Immobilienmanager about Generali Real Estate

This week at IM Immobilienmanager among others articles about “Generali Real Estate appoints Lukas Jeckel as Head of Region Central Northern Europe” and “Terragon: Annette Heilig appointed to the Management Board” . You can find more news here:

• Austrian real estate fund buys Babelsberg Center
• Terragon: Annette Heilig appointed to the Management Board
• Generali Real Estate appoints Lukas Jeckel as Head of Region Central Northern Europe

Frankfurter Allgemeine on expropriation and rent freeze

This week’s Frankfurter Allgemeine has some exciting articles, such as “Proper raking and mowing: How to do gardening without back pain” and “Expropriation and rent freezes: The GDR is no role model! More news from the past days:

• Rake and mow properly: How to do gardening without back pain
• Workplace couple dynamics: sharing a desk with Schatzi
• Expropriation and rent freeze: The GDR is no role model!

Handelsblatt on the increase in costs due to the CO2 tax

In contrast, Handelsblatt reports this week on “Rising aspirations fuel housing shortage” and “Here’s how CO2 tax would make housing more expensive” . More headlines of the week:

• This is how the CO2 tax would make housing more expensive
• ECB experts warn of overheating in the European real estate market
• Rising aspirations fuel housing shortage

Star over Youtube Star (6) buying his first house

The blog of Stern deals with “Warning signs: How safe is your job? 12 signs of your imminent dismissal” and “Real estate: family plans with 84,000 euros Baukindergeld – and is now to go empty” . More news of the week:

• Real estates: Family plans with 84,000 euro building child money – and is to go out now empty-handedly
• Warning signs: How safe is your job? 12 signs you’re about to quit
• In South Korea: Six-year-old Youtube star buys house for more than seven million euros

Haufe: Rents rise significantly slower than purchase prices

New from Haufe this week includes “Frühlingsfrisch” and “Rechtzeitige Zahlung der Gerichtskosten bei Anfechtungsklage” . More real estate news for tenants, buyers and sellers:

• Housing market: Rents are rising much more slowly than purchase prices
• Timely payment of court costs in an action for annulment

T-Online asks: How big does the budget have to be to buy a house?

This week, T-Online has topics such as “Recovering construction defects – claiming warranty when building a house” and “Construction guide – How big does the budget need to be to buy a house?”. New topics of the week:

• Apportionable service charges – What you as a tenant have to pay and what not
• Building Guide – How big a budget do I need to buy a house?
• Complain about construction defects – warranty claim when building a house

Süddeutsche Zeitung on living as a single

This week’s Süddeutsche Zeitung blog is about “How the government wants to fight money laundering” and “Room, kitchen, murder”. Updates and news from the newspaper:

• How the government wants to combat money laundering
• Where the singles live
• Room, kitchen, murder

Federal Gazette knows: Germany must build more

This week at Bundesanzeiger among others “Discussion about rent regulation misses actual market development” but also “Germany needs to build more”. New articles, headlines and trends:

• Germany must build more
• Discussion about rent regulation misses the actual market development
• Housing urban development plan: Focus on new construction instead of regulation

Berlin.de about the wood market project of the capital city

New articles and posts from Berlin.de this week include “Bund der Steuerzahler criticizes apartment purchases” and “Saleh jumps on Müller: Correct urban development plan” . More headlines of the week:

• Taxpayers’ association criticizes apartment purchases
• New start for Berlin timber market project
• Saleh jumps on Mueller: Correct urban development plan

Immobilien Zeitung sees Stuttgart logistics market on the upswing

This week Immobilien Zeitung has interesting topics such as “Stuttgart logistics market on the up” and “Poor but sexy was yesterday” in the magazine. The posts and more tips can be found here:

• Stuttgart logistics market on the upswing
• Logistics revenue is “exceptionally strong
• Poor but sexy was yesterday

Spiegel on the fight against money laundering

At Spiegel this week it’s about “Rich: Zara founder prefers real estate as an investment” and “Fight against money laundering: government takes real estate agents more to task” . More news from this week:

• Fight against money laundering: government takes real estate agents more seriously
• Central bank: ECB experts warn of real estate bubble in Europe
• Rich: Zara founder prefers real estate as an investment

Immobilien Zeitung: Nursing homes for senior citizens in short supply

The general housing situation in Germany is a growing problem in many places. The metropolitan areas and inner cities are overcrowded, and apartments in the surrounding areas are also too expensive. Particularly with our increasingly ageing society, senior housing is also in short supply and many older people and pensioners are faced with the problem of finding suitable accommodation at affordable prices that meets their needs. The same problem is faced by those people who need a place in a nursing home, because there, too, spatial resources are more than scarce. For this reason, relatives often take over the accommodation and, in part, the care of their elderly family members or make use of care services that support them at home.

Accessibility in rented flats

Rental apartments in particular are rarely designed with the needs of older people in mind. The houses and apartments must be accessible without barriers, which means a ramp as an alternative to houses with steps in the entrance area as well as an elevator of a suitable size for apartment buildings are basic requirements. But barrier-free accessibility only begins here. The apartments must not be too cramped, so that people with wheelchairs or walkers can move from room to room without any problems. The sanitary facilities must also be adapted: Grab rails on the walls and a level shower are particularly important here.

Conversions are often expensive and are therefore often not even considered by the landlord. The alternative in this case would be an owner-occupied flat, but here too the question arises as to the financial means of the person concerned and the spatial possibilities of the flat.

Nursing homes severely undersupplied

Due to their function, nursing homes are optimally adapted to the sometimes limited movement possibilities of senior citizens. Ramps in the entrance area, lifts, door frames that are hardened, doors that are equipped with sensors and open automatically… wherever possible, the needs of the elderly are taken into account. A major problem here is the growing shortage of staff, as fewer and fewer young people are considering a career as a caregiver for the elderly. The low pay plays a role here, because the nursing homes can often pay less than they would like, as their own resources are severely limited.

Furthermore, there is also a general lack of nursing places. The existing nursing homes cannot provide sufficient space for those in need of care, but plans for new buildings are rather rare.

Real Estate News:

Federal Gazette about strongly rising real estate prices in the last year

This week at Bundesanzeiger among others ” Back to reason? ZIA welcomes Berlin’s commitment to the constitution” but also “vdp index: property prices rise strongly again in 2018”. New articles, headlines and trends:

• vdp-Index: Property prices rise strongly again in 2018
• Back to reason? ZIA welcomes Berlin’s commitment to the constitution
• ZIA: Failure to appoint the building commission is a mistake

Berlin.de reports: Rising property prices also in Berlin

New articles and posts from Berlin.de this week include ” CDU fails with motion of disapproval against Lompscher” and “Rise in rents and purchase prices highest in Berlin”. More headlines of the week:

• CDU fails with motion of disapproval against Lompscher
• Alliance for Affordable Housing has spurred new construction
• Rents and purchase prices rise most in Berlin

Süddeutsche Zeitung with focus on modular building of the future

This week’s Süddeutsche Zeitung blog is about ” When words fail you” and “Vorgebaut”. Updates and news from the blog:

• When words fail
• New building area in Moosen
• Pre-assembled

Real estate newspaper on the shortage of nursing homes for seniors

This week Immobilien Zeitung has interesting topics like “Alarming shortage of senior housing” and “New construction is already at €9,000/m²” on the blog. The posts and more tips can be found here:

• Alarming shortage of senior housing
• Coworking shows no “waning momentum
• New construction is already at 9,000 euros/m²

Manager Magazin on the real estate boom in rural Germany

There are also new headlines this week from Manager Magazin such as “Aspen, Alps and Co: The most expensive ski resorts in the world” as well as “Rising market prices around big cities: real estate boom reaches the flat countryside”. More headlines:

• Rising market prices in the environs of the big cities: real estate boom reaches the flat countryside
• Aspen, Alps and Co: The most expensive ski resorts in the world
• Metropolis sues Airbnb: Paris demands millions from Airbnb for ‘illegal’ accommodation

Share prices: Winner of the week

German Geothermal Real Estate

German geothermal real estate with +20.00% this week (real estate in Germany) distributed on €1.45 million

• Price change (week): +20.00 % (€ 1.00) to currently € 1.20
• Daily rate: +9.09 % / Monthly rate: -34.78 % (1.84 €)
• 3 months: -7.69 % (1.30 €) / 12 months: -62.50 % (3.20 €)
• WKN: A16122 / ISIN: DE000A161226

Dream Global Real Estate Investment Trust

Dream Global Real Estate Investment Trust up +6.14% this week (real estate in Canada) with a volume of €1.15 billion

• Price change (week): +6.14 % (€ 8.63) to currently € 9.16
• Daily rate: +2.35 % / Monthly rate: +12.81 % (8.12 €)
• 4 months: +4.09 % (8.80 €) / 13 months: +18.19 % (7.75 €)
• WKN: A1131Y / ISIN: CA26154A1066

Godewind Real Estate

Godewind Immobilien up +4.18% this week (real estate in Germany) listed on CDAX, Prime All Share, Classic All Share, DAX International Mid 100 with a volume of 108.8m (as of 24.09.18) and a market capital of €395.3m

• Price change (week): +4.18 % (€ 3.489) to currently € 3.635
• Daily rate: -1.62 % / Monthly rate: +8.41 % (3.353 €)
• 5 months: +30.29% (€2.79) / 14 months: (-)
• WKN: A2G8XX / ISIN: DE000A2G8XX3

Alternative energies – types, tasks & their importance

Up to now, energy in the EU has mainly been generated from fossil fuels, such as coal or oil, and to a lesser extent from nuclear fuels. Alternative energy sources, such as solar energy, hydroelectric power or wind power, have so far played a rather subordinate role. Yet these renewable energies are the future. What are their tasks, what are the different types and why is it so important to use alternative energies for energy production?

• Keyfact 1 – alternative energies are the future of energy production and must be further promoted and improved in the coming years
• Keyfact 2 – Fossil fuels are slowly running out and will sooner or later be depleted and no longer usable

Alternative energies – why are they so important?

The production of energy with the help of nuclear fuels has clearly more disadvantages than advantages. The nuclear waste that is produced during energy generation cannot yet be converted into an ecologically safe form using any technology. So the waste will always be a burden on the environment. The risk of nuclear power plants and nuclear waste repositories is therefore too high and additionally associated with extremely adverse consequences in the event of the release of large quantities of radioactive material.

But fossil fuels also have some disadvantages. Probably the most devastating is the bad impact on the environment. The burning of coal, oil and gas produces CO2 emissions that are proven to increase the greenhouse effect. The consequences are natural disasters and a steadily progressing climate change. But also security-relevant aspects are directly recognizable in the oil age with the permanent oil and gulf crises. The economic risks caused by oil have a direct influence on the world economy and regularly cause economic crises. The most important reason why fossil fuels do not represent the future of energy production is the time span of the fuels. They are non-renewable and will run out in the foreseeable future. First oil, then natural gas, and coal last. Sooner or later, fossil fuels will be used up and will therefore no longer be able to provide a source of energy.

The solution should therefore be renewable energies, which are not only environmentally friendly, but are also eternally renewable and therefore cannot be consumed. Solar energies (water, biomass, wind, solar thermal and photovoltaic) therefore show many advantages. There are closed cycles, the CO2 is spared and also with regard to the national economy the alternative energies rise. The consumers of renewable energies are not only independent of large energy companies, but also create new jobs in their own country and achieve positive effects on the balance of payments and actions. The environment also thanks us, because after decades of damage with CO2 emissions and nuclear fuels, we fall back on the basis of nature and exhaust the given possibilities.

Renewable energies – hydropower as an energy supplier

The generation of energy from hydropower is a method that is not very common so far. Nevertheless, there are some advantages to using energy from this renewable resource. The energy conversion happens here with a very high efficiency, which meant that a high percentage of the energy used can be converted into electricity. In addition, the energy production from hydropower does not release any pollutants and therefore does not harm the environment and the waste heat is also very low.

The use of these alternative energies will therefore continue to improve and spread as long as they are economically feasible and economically justifiable. Because a disadvantage shows up also here. The construction of a hydroelectric power plant usually interferes with the ecological balance of the watercourse, which is very sensitive. The planning of such a plant is therefore not necessarily easy and requires a great deal of specialist knowledge and a certain ecological orientation.

Hydroelectric power plants use the gradient of a body of water, usually a river. The flowing water is taken from the natural riverbed and directed through pipes or channels to a turbine. The water causes the turbine to rotate. The rotation generates electricity, which is converted into usable energy by a generator.

Renewable energies – wind power as an energy supplier

Energy can also be generated from wind power. For this, however, the wind must have a certain strength. In coastal areas, the wind is usually stronger, which is why more wind farms are being built here. Off-shore wind farms, which are built in the sea near the coast, also use these high wind speeds. In order for wind to be used sensibly for energy generation, it needs a speed of four to five metres per second.

Different wind turbines are used to generate energy from wind. On the one hand, there are wind turbines with 12 to 24 blades. These are mostly used for direct mechanical energy use, for example to drive water pumps. Probably the best known, however, are the wind turbines with two or three blades, which can often be seen in fields or on the coast. They generate direct alternating current through rotation and a constant speed via a generator. The rotor blades are specially designed to withstand all conditions and still work effectively.

Renewable energies – solar energy as an energy supplier

Solar energy is probably the most widespread renewable energy to date. Both as a solar system on rooftops and as solar parks on open spaces, you see solar cells again and again. The solar cells make use of the energy of the sun and convert it into usable energy. Here, a distinction is generally made between solar systems and photovoltaic systems.

Solar systems use the energy of the sun and convert it into usable heat. A solar system can therefore be used, for example, to operate heating systems in the house. For this purpose, houses are specially planned so that the sun contributes as much as possible to the heating of the house.

Photovoltaics, on the other hand, uses the sun’s energy to convert it into electricity. Photovoltaic systems are also installed on the roof for this purpose, which can capture the solar energy and convert it into usable energy for the household. This can be used to generate electricity in the house and run machines.

It makes most sense to use both systems in combination, as the household is then no longer dependent on large energy companies and all the energy for their own home is produced themselves. The advantages are enormous and the environment is protected by such houses very much. The optimal use of solar energy requires quite a bit of prerequisites the advantages compensate for this, however. Learn more about solar energy and the use of renewable energy in our great guide to photovoltaics!

Solar collectors – the heart of the solar system

Without the collector, a solar system could not convert the solar energy into usable heat. The collector is therefore the heart of the solar system, which makes it possible to use the renewable energy in the home. Want to learn more about solar systems and the cost? Calculate the cost of your individual solar system with our solar system calculator! But which different models are there among the collectors and which one is the right one for my solar system?

Flat plate collector – the proven model

Flat-plate collectors were the first collectors to be used to harness solar energy. They are therefore still the most widespread model today and form a market share of a proud 70%. Their reputation is probably not entirely unconnected to this, as flat-plate collectors are considered to be very inexpensive, reliable and, above all, they offer a technology that has certainly proven itself over the years.

Structure of a flat plate collector – absorber, housing and the heat transfer fluid

A flat plate collector has two simple components. A housing and a blackened metal sheet that is located inside the housing. This metal sheet is also called an absorber, because the dark coating ensures good absorption of the incident solar radiation. The absorber also efficiently converts the incident solar energy into heat. In order for the heat to be transported, pipes run along the back of the absorber in which heat transfer fluid flows. This flows cold into the collector and leaves it hot. To protect the collector from external conditions, such as the weather, it is covered by a safety glass. This glass is very stable and at the same time highly transparent, so that as little radiation as possible bounces off it. This ensures that as much solar energy as possible reaches the absorber to be converted into heat. To ensure that the housing also contributes effectively to heat generation, it is particularly well insulated and therefore hardly loses any heat energy. The efficiency of the solar system is thus increased.

Differences in flat plate collectors – structure, shape & piping

Even if the flat plate collectors are combined into one model, there are still differences. Different flat plate collectors differ in the housing material, the different connection of the tubes and other features. Depending on the application, the different designs have their advantages and disadvantages.

• Shape of the absorber – The absorber can be made of different materials. There are absorbers made of steel, stainless steel or aluminium sheets. These can be connected in different ways, for example by spot welding or roll bonding. There are also differences in the copper pipes in which the liquid is conducted. They can be pressed in but also soldered.
• Coating of the absorber – The absorber layer has developed further and further in recent years. After all, the layer should be able to absorb as much of the solar energy as possible. Today’s technology provides for highly selective layers that have a particularly high degree of absorption. It also has a low emissivity of the long-wave thermal radiation.
• Laying the heat transfer tubes – The tubes can either be laid in a tube register, where they are parallel side by side and connected at the top and bottom, or they can be laid in a meandering pattern, which means snake-like in one piece.
• Housing material – The material of the housing can also vary depending on the model. The most common are aluminum, stainless steel but also plastic. Even wood would be an option as a housing for a solar collector.

Tube collector – the better thermal insulation ensures higher efficiency

The tube collector came after the flat plate collector and is an alternative to it. Despite different technology and less market share, this model also has its advantages.

Structure of a tube collector – vacuum, heat pipe and the glass tubes

The tube collector model differs from the flat plate collector in one particular point, namely in the insulation. While with the flat plate collector only the housing is insulated, with the tube collector every single absorber is insulated and this in a special way. Here, the absorber is encased in an evacuated glass tube, as vacuum has particularly good thermal insulation properties and allows neither losses through convection nor through heat conduction. Several of the tubes together are connected to a collector and then form a tube collector. Since this way of insulating is much more effective than that of a flat plate collector, the efficiency is much higher here, since less energy is lost. Due to the technology, this model is also called a vacuum tube collector.

Different design of tube collectors – heat pipe, CPC & direct flow

The tube collector models are additionally differentiated into different designs. On the one hand, the direct and the non-direct flow tube collectors – they are also called heat pipes. Another form are the CPC – vacuum tube collectors.

• Direct flow tube collectors – In this design, the heat transfer fluid flows directly through copper tubes into the glass tubes. Here it is heated and when it exits it is combined with the other tubes in the collector. It is then transported to the heat exchanger via the solar circuit. In the event of a defective vacuum, it is not difficult to replace one of the tubes independently of the others.
• Heat-Pipe (non-direct flow) – The heat-pipe uses a thermodynamic process for heat transfer in which a heat pipe ( head-pipe ) passes through the glass tube containing a readily vaporizing liquid, such as water or alcohol. When heated, this liquid evaporates and rises to the head of the glass tube where heat is transferred by condensation of the vapor to the heat transfer fluid passing outside the head. The rest of the liquid flows back to the bottom of the tubes and repeats the process once room temperature is reached. This is sufficient to cause the liquid to condense, as there is a negative pressure in the tubes – the vacuum.
• CPC vacuum tube collector – This design is a variation of the direct flow tube collectors. Here too, the copper tubes run through the glass tubes, but the special feature is that two glass tubes are arranged concentrically and lie in front of a parabolic mirror. The absorbent coating is applied to the inside of the glass tubes. The parabolic mirror helps to make the collector even more efficient, especially at low irradiation. The yields are therefore comparatively higher and the collector works more effectively.

The heat transfer fluid – what needs to be considered

The heat transfer fluid stores the heat and transports it through the solar circuit to the solar storage tank. The heat is then released from the fluid and used to heat tap or heating water. The cooled fluid then flows back and starts its journey all over again. The question that arises, however, is what is suitable as a heat transfer fluid. Here the answer is relatively simple, because normal water is already perfectly suitable for this task. However, as there is a risk of frost, especially in cold months, which could cause irreparable damage to the collector or absorber pipe, the water must be mixed with an antifreeze. But the heat transfer fluid must also be able to withstand high temperatures. Especially in CPC vacuum tube collectors, temperatures of up to 350 °C can occur. To ensure that the viscosity does not suffer due to the antifreeze and such high temperatures, thus reducing the heat capacity, a mixing ratio of 40% propylene glycol and 60% water is usually aimed for. This mixture not only withstands cold temperatures as low as -25°C, but is also suitable for high temperatures. When purchasing the heat transfer fluid, pay particular attention to high temperature stability, good corrosion protection, the lowest possible viscosity, high environmental compatibility and a high heat capacity.