Building Services

Building services (also known as technical building equipment, TGA) refers to the entirety of all technical installations and systems in a building that ensure its operation, supply of utilities, and the well-being of its occupants. These include heating, ventilation, air conditioning, plumbing, electrical and lighting systems, elevators, fire protection systems, and, increasingly, smart home systems. Alongside the building structure, building services engineering is the second major cost driver in construction and renovation-and is crucial for energy efficiency and quality of life.

Components of Building Services

The main components of building services include:

• Heating system: Heat generators (heat pump, gas/oil boiler, district heating transfer station, pellet boiler) and heat distribution (radiators, underfloor heating)
• Plumbing systems: Drinking water supply (cold/hot), drainage, fixtures, sanitary fixtures
• Ventilation system: Supply and exhaust air in bathrooms and kitchens, as well as controlled residential ventilation (CRV) with heat recovery where applicable
• Electrical systems: High- and low-voltage power, lighting, communication systems, PV systems, charging stations for electric vehicles
• Elevators and conveyor systems: Often required by law in multi-story buildings with four or more floors
• Fire protection systems: Smoke detectors, sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, emergency exit lighting

Building Services and Energy Efficiency

Modern and well-coordinated building services are the key to an energy-efficient building. In particular, the combination of a well-insulated building envelope and an efficient heat pump, a ventilation system with heat recovery, and controlled building automation can reduce energy consumption by up to 80% compared to an unrenovated older building. The GEG sets requirements for new construction and renovation that directly affect building services (e.g., heating systems starting in 2024, primary energy factor).

Maintenance and Service Life of Building Services

Building services have defined service lives: gas boilers 15-25 years, heat pumps 15-20 years, plumbing fixtures 25-40 years, electrical installations 30-50 years. Regular maintenance extends service life and prevents consequential damage. Owners are responsible for maintaining building services systems and are legally required to provide proof of maintenance for commercial use or rental properties (e.g., heating system inspection per § 60b GEG starting in 2024).

Practical Tip for Owners in Nuremberg and Franconia

When purchasing an existing property in Nuremberg or the surrounding region, we recommend systematically inspecting the condition of all building services. In particular, heating systems older than 15 years, copper or lead piping, and outdated electrical installations (neutral connection, missing GFCI circuit breakers) may require significant investments in the near future. We work with experienced building experts who conduct a structured assessment of the building services and prepare cost estimates.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a complete renovation of the building services in a single-family home cost?

This varies greatly depending on the scope of work. A new heating system (e.g., heat pump including buffer tank) costs €15,000-€30,000, an electrical system renovation €8,000-€20,000, and new bathrooms and plumbing fixtures €10,000-€25,000. For a comprehensive overhaul of the building services in a single-family home, costs of €50,000-100,000 are not uncommon.

Is the heating system inspection required under the GEG?

Yes. The heating system inspection under Section 60b of the GEG became mandatory at the turn of the year 2024/2025 for heating systems with gas or oil boilers in buildings with at least six residential units; a phased regulation applies to smaller buildings. A certified specialist company must inspect and optimize the system.

Is integrating smart home technology into building systems worth it?

Smart home systems enable significant energy savings through intelligent control of heating, ventilation, and lighting (e.g., automatic absence mode, weather-based adjustments). With careful planning and use, the investment pays for itself within 5-10 years. Especially in renovations, it is worth designing the building services to be smart-home-compatible from the start.

Building Services When Buying Real Estate: What Buyers Should Check

When purchasing an existing property, the condition of the building services is one of the most critical-and at the same time most frequently underestimated-cost factors. Unlike visible construction defects (mold, cracks, leaky windows), outdated or defective building services are often not immediately apparent. An experienced building inspector should examine the key building services systems in any older home purchase and estimate the need for replacement.

Buyers should pay particular attention to the following points:

• Heating system: Age and manufacturer of the heat generator, date of last maintenance, current hydraulic balancing, GEG compliance
• Plumbing: Pipe material (lead, copper, plastic), age of water meters, Legionella risk in hot water tanks with temperatures below 60 °C
• Electrical system: Presence of GFCI circuit breakers, sufficiently sized wiring for modern appliances (electric car, heat pump), grounding system
• Ventilation: Presence of controlled ventilation, condition of exhaust fans and vent ducts

The investment costs for a complete renovation of building services in a single-family home can quickly amount to €60,000-100,000. This sum must be realistically factored into purchase price negotiations. We help buyers in Nuremberg professionally assess the condition and costs of building services and make objective arguments during purchase price negotiations.

Building Services and the Future: Sector Coupling and the Smart Grid

The building services of the future are networked. Sector coupling describes the interplay of electricity, heat, and mobility within a building: A PV system generates electricity, which is converted into heat via a heat pump, stored in a buffer tank, or temporarily stored in the home battery and used to charge the electric car. Intelligent energy management systems automatically control these processes and optimize the self-consumption of the self-generated electricity.

For homeowners in Nuremberg and the metropolitan region, it pays to think in terms of sector coupling from the very beginning when building new homes or undertaking major renovations: placeholder lines for PV and batteries, sufficiently sized empty conduits for charging infrastructure, and a control unit capable of integrating all systems. The additional planning costs are manageable; retrofitting later is often complex and expensive. The Nuremberg Energy Consulting Center (ebz) offers manufacturer-neutral advice on building services concepts-we recommend this consultation as the first step before any major investment in building services.

Building Services and Property Value

The condition of building services directly influences a property’s market value. When determining property value according to ImmoWertV, technical depreciation (age-related depreciation of building services systems) is accounted for separately. A building with fully renovated building services achieves a significantly higher market value than a comparable property with outdated systems-even if the building structure is identical. In our practice in Nuremberg, we observe that multi-family homes with modern heat pump heating and controlled ventilation systems achieve square meter prices five to fifteen percent higher upon sale than properties with old oil boilers or systems that do not comply with GEG standards. For landlords, there is the added factor that, starting in 2025, energy performance certificates rated F or lower will exert measurable pressure on achievable rent, as many tenants actively factor expected heating costs into their decision to rent. Investments in building services are therefore not merely a cost-driving obligation, but can be planned and communicated as a value-enhancing measure.

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