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In this paper, we identify key drivers and barriers for the adoption of building energy retrofits in Germany, which is promoted by public policy as an important measure to address the future challenges of climate change and energy security. We analyze data from a 2009 survey of more than 400 owner-occupiers of single-family detached, semidetached, and row houses in Germany, that was conducted as a computer-assisted personal interview (CAPI). In the survey, respondents were asked directly for reasons for and against retrofitting their homes, but also faced a choice experiment involving different energy retrofit measures. Overall, both the descriptive and econometric results show that house owners who are able to afford it financially, for whom it is profitable, and for whom there is a favorable opportunity, are more likely to undertake energy retrofit activities. Based on an estimated mixed logit error component model, we also simulate the incentive effects of different policy options, such as public subsidies and energy tax increases.

Residential buildings strongly contribute to global CO2 emissions due to the high energy demand for electricity and heating, particularly in industrialised countries. Within the EU, decentralised heat generation is of particular relevance for future climate policy, as its emissions are not covered by the EU ETS. We conducted a choice experiment concerning energy retrofits for existing houses in Germany. In the experiment, the approximately 400 sampled house owners could either choose a modern heating system or an improved thermal insulation for their home. We used standard and mixed logit specifications to analyse the choice data. We found environmental benefits to have a significant impact on choices of heating systems. However, they played no role in terms of insulation choices. Based on the estimated mixed logit model, we further obtained WTP measures for CO2 savings. -- Choice experiment ; CO2 emissions ; Energy efficiency; Energy saving ; Mixed logit ; Residential buildings ; Willingness to pay

Motorized individual transport strongly contributes to global CO2 emissions, due to its intensive usage of fossil fuels. Current political efforts addressing this issue (i.e. emission performance standards in the EU) are directed towards car manufacturers. This paper focuses on the demand side. It examines whether CO2 emissions per kilometer is a relevant attribute in car choices. Based on a choice experiment among potential car buyers from Germany, a mixed logit specification is estimated. In addition, distributions of willingness-to-pay measures for an abatement of CO2 emissions are obtained. The results suggest that the emissions performance of a car matters substantially, but its consideration varies heavily across the sampled population. In particular, some evidence on gender, age and education effects on climate concerns is provided.

Residential buildings strongly contribute to global CO2 emissions due to the high energy demand for electricity and heating, particularly in industrialised countries. Within the EU, decentralised heat generation is of particular relevance for future climate policy, as its emissions are not covered by the EU ETS. We conducted a choice experiment concerning energy retrofits for existing houses in Germany. In the experiment, the approximately 400 sampled house owners could either choose a modern heating system or an improved thermal insulation for their home. We used standard and mixed logit specifications to analyse the choice data. We found environmental benefits to have a significant impact on choices of heating systems. However, they played no role in terms of insulation choices. Based on the estimated mixed logit model, we further obtained WTP measures for CO2 savings.

Motorised individual transport strongly contributes to global CO2 emissions, due to its intensive usage of fossil fuels. Current political efforts addressing this issue (i.e. emission performance standards in the EU) are directed towards car manufacturers. This paper focuses on the demand side. It examines whether CO2 emissions per kilometre is a relevant attribute in car choices. Based on a stated preference experiment among potential car buyers from Germany, different mixed logit specifications are estimated. In addition, distributions of willingness to pay measures for an abatement of CO2 emissions are obtained. The results suggest that the emissions performance of a car matters substantially, but its consideration varies heavily across the sampled population. In particular, some evidence on gender, age and education effects on climate concerns is provided.

Die Diesel-Technologie und die mit ihrer Nutzung verbundenen Belastungen durch lokale und globale Schadstoffemissionen stehen seit längerem im Fokus der umweltpolitischen Diskussion. Mittlerweile sind sogar Fahrverbote für Diesel-Pkw nicht mehr ausgeschlossen. Allerdings sind in der Diesel-Debatte ökonomische Argumente bislang leider nur selten zu hören. Grundsätzlich geht es auch in der Diesel-Debatte darum, wie in Zukunft Wünsche nach Mobilität, Gesundheit und intakter Umwelt bestmöglich erfüllt und miteinander in Einklang gebracht werden können. Die Kernforderung der Ökonomen hierbei ist, dass die Politik negative externe Effekte adressiert und die entsprechenden Aktivitäten - technologieoffen - mit einem Preis versieht. Damit ist aus ökonomischer Perspektive sichergestellt, dass gesellschaftliche Ziele zu geringstmöglichen Kosten für Verbraucher und Industrie erreicht werden. Der vorliegende ZEW Policy Brief betrachtet unterschiedliche negative externe Effekte aus der Nutzung von Verbrennungsmotoren und schlägt für eine Langfriststrategie ökonomische Instrumente vor, um eine Reduktion dieser Effekte zu erreichen.

Die Diesel-Technologie und die mit ihrer Nutzung verbundenen Belastungen durch lokale oder globale Schadstoffemissionen stehen seit längerem im Fokus der umweltpolitischen Diskussion. In diesem Beitrag werden unterschiedliche negative externe Effekte aus der Nutzung von Verbrennungsmotoren betrachtet. Für eine Langfriststrategie bieten sich ökonomische Instrumente zur Zielerreichung an: eine an die lokale Schadstoffbelastung gekoppelte City-Maut sowie eine zusätzliche CO2-Vermeidung in den Sektoren des EU-Emissionshandels oder eine Integration des Verkehrssektors in den Emissionshandel. ; Diesel technology and the associated environmental burden of local and global pollutant emissions have long been the focus of environmental policy debates. This article considers various negative external effects resulting from the use of combustion engines. A number of economic policy instruments can help to reduce these effects in the long term, such as the introduction of an urban road pricing scheme that is linked to local pollution levels, a greater focus on CO2 abatement in the sectors included in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), or the integration of the transport sector into the EU ETS.

Über 80 Prozent des Endenergieverbrauchs der Haushalte in Deutschland wird für Raumwärme und Warmwasser verwendet. Da die Mehrheit der installierten Heizsysteme nach wie vor auf fossilen Energieträgern basiert, trägt der Gebäudesektor substanziell zu den nationalen Treibhausgasemissionen bei. Im vergangenen Jahr waren es rund 117 Mio. t CO2-Äquivalente. Bis zum Jahr 2030 soll der Ausstoß laut Klimaschutzplan 2050 auf 72 Mio. t CO2 reduziert werden, 2050 soll der Gebäudesektor nahezu klimaneutral sein. Angesichts sehr langer Investitionszyklen bei Gebäuden sind das ambitionierte Ziele. Um diese zu erreichen, setzt die Bundesregierung in ihrem neuen Klimaschutzprogramm auf eine Kombination von Förderprogrammen, Ordnungsrecht, einer CO2-Bepreisung sowie Information und Beratung. Das einzig wirklich Neue in diesem Maßnahmenpaket ist die Einführung einer expliziten Bepreisung von CO2-Emissionen, die nicht unter dem EU Emissionshandelssystem (EHS) reguliert werden - ein Schritt, der von Ökonomen lange gefordert wurde. Leider lassen es die Pläne der Bundesregierung nicht zu, dass die CO2-Bepreisung kurzfristig ihr volles Potenzial entfalten kann. Dieses ZEW policy brief liefert eine kritische Einordnung des Klimaschutzprogramms im Gebäudesektor. Anhand aktueller Erkenntnisse der Wirtschaftsforschung diskutiert es Nachteile von Förderprogrammen und ordnungsrechtlichen Maßnahmen und zeigt zugleich künftigen Forschungsbedarf auf. ; More than 80 per cent of the individual energy consumption of households in Germany is used for heating and hot water. Since the majority of installed heating systems still run on fossil fuels, the buildings sector accounts for a substantial share of national greenhouse gas emissions. Last year the sector emitted around 117 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents. The aim of the German Climate Action Plan 2050 is to reduce emissions to 72 million tonnes of CO2 and to make the buildings sector almost climate neutral by 2050. These are quite ambitious goals, considering that the investment cycles for buildings are very long. In its new climate protection programme, the federal government intends to achieve these goals with the help of support programmes, regulation, CO2 pricing, information and advice. The only real novelty about this package is the introduction of an explicit pricing of CO2 emissions that are not regulated under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) - a measure that has long been demanded by economists. Unfortunately, the German government's plans inhibit CO2 pricing from developing its full potential in the short term. This ZEW policy brief provides a critical assessment of the Climate Action Plan with regard to the buildings sector. On the basis of current findings of economic research, the policy brief discusses the disadvantages of funding programmes and regulatory measures, and points out where further research is needed in the future.

In this paper, we investigate the effect of the state-level renewable heating mandate for existing homes in Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany's third largest federal state. The mandate requires homeowners to supply at least 10 % of their heat demand with renewable energy when they replace their existing heating system. To assess the impact of the renewable heating standard on the uptake of renewable heating systems, we use unique data on a federal government subsidy scheme and exploit geographic differences in state laws over time. We find no evidence of an effect of the mandate even after restricting distance to the state border and refining the data set through matching on population and building characteristics. These findings are unchanged, when we allow effects to vary across space or over time. While energy efficiency and renewable standards are often criticized for not being cost-effective, our results challenge the widespread view that a standard is nevertheless successful in achieving its policy goal.

Die negativen Folgen des Klimawandels sind wissenschaftlich erwiesen. Der weitere Ausstoß von klimaschädlichen Gasen muss dringend stärker unterbunden werden. Das von der Bundesregierung beschlossene Klimaschutzprogramm ist ein Schritt in die richtige Richtung. Es ist aber zu wenig ambitioniert, um tatsächlich das von der Klimakonferenz in Paris avisierte Ziel, die Klimaerwärmung auf 1,5°C zu begrenzen, erreichen zu können. Die Autorinnen und Autoren untersuchen in den Bereichen Windkraft, Wohngebäude, Luft- und Straßenverkehr, welche Maßnahmen erforderlich sind und wie die gesetzten Ziele effizienter erreicht werden können. Sie sprechen sich vor allem für eine höhere Bepreisung der CO2-Emissionen aus.