Policy Workshop Sufficiency II

Better quality of life, less environmental consumption - Policy Workshop Sufficiency II

Foto: Lars-Arvid Brischke, Wandbild von Various & Gould, Berlin

Sufficiency policy can create suitable framework conditions to enable citizens to comply with planetary boundaries when satisfying their needs. In the context of this project, sufficiency is to be understood as the "right measure" for socio-ecological effects in the sense of sustainability. The focus is on attractive, energy- and resource-efficient forms of satisfying needs.

The project combines three sub-projects with different sufficiency policy contents:

• Sub-project 1: Understandable information on heating costs as a key to reducing consumption (HeizInfo)
• Sub-project 2: Indicators of regional sustainability based on the sufficiency approach (IReNaS)
• Sub-project 3: Reduction of air pollutant emissions through sufficiency policy instruments (PoliSLuft)

The sub-projects are implemented jointly with the respective specialist units of the Federal Environment Agency and supported by agile project management.

The ifeu is working on sub-project 1 HeizInfo (Heating Information): Through more transparency about individual heating energy consumption and heating costs, consumers are to receive impulses for energy-saving behaviour. This requires a comprehensible and motivating design of the monthly information on heating energy consumption, heating costs and hot water use.

The aim of the sub-project HeizInfo is to develop a guideline to supplement the amended Heating Costs Ordinance, which shows ways in which the monthly information on heating energy use can be presented in a comprehensible and motivating way for consumers.

The content and design of the monthly heating information will be developed in a dialogue process with stakeholders and in a design process involving consumers. The results will be summarised in a guideline that will support metering service providers in the design of the monthly heating cost information, serve landlords as a basis for tenders and tenants as a reference for comprehensible information.

Finally, the results of the sub-projects will be presented at a conference and placed in the context of an overarching sufficiency policy.