The CDU advocates raising the mini-job limit to 550 euros

Basic pension

After the discussions of the past few days, the CDU emphasized that it would adhere to the basic pension compromise with the SPD. The party congress approved several motions that argue in principle: "When implementing the basic pension, care must be taken to ensure that the agreed conditions are met when the basic pension comes into force." One of the applications from the CDA workers’ wing states that full-time employment currently requires an hourly wage of at least 12.63 euros in order to receive a pension above the basic security level in old age. "More than every fourth employee currently earns less and is therefore at risk of old-age poverty in the long term." 

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 Private retirement provision 

The CDU wants to strengthen private pension provision and, if necessary, make it mandatory in the long term. Private provision is to be made more efficient and more binding. "To this end, in a first step, the existing private old-age provision is to be improved at central points by the state defining criteria for a standard pension product." If the number of contracts does not increase by 30 percent within three years, the product portfolio should increase by one "state-organized standard pension product" be expanded. At the same time, it should be checked whether this product will then be mandatory for everyone.

Mini jobs 

The CDU advocates raising the mini-job limit to 550 euros. In addition, it will be checked every five years in future whether the income limit needs to be adjusted again. The current mini job limit is 450 euros. Around 8 million people in Germany work as part-time employees.

minimum wage

It should be done better. The minimum wage commission, which practically decides on the wages of around four million people and thus practically the "extensive collective bargaining" lead in Germany, there should be new rules of procedure. It should move away from the previous practice of a quasi-automatic increase based on the tariff index. The scientists sitting in the commission should "the specific scope" use.

In its original application, the CDA workers’ wing criticized the minimum wage since it was introduced in 2015 "at a paltry 69 cents" has risen. "Who goes to work for 9.19 euros an hour", will be dependent on the basic pension at the latest in the pension. The commission discusses the minimum wage annually, and it is adjusted every two years.

Planning law

The CDU also wants to reform planning law for construction projects so that planning can be implemented more quickly and easily. "The planning law is no longer appropriate for today’s conditions", is it [called. The CDU wants to introduce nationally significant building projects into a parliamentary permit. In addition, the party plans to limit the right of associations to sue to those who are directly affected. In addition, the instances of the courts should be shortened. 

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 Headscarf ban

The CDU is considering it for kindergartens and elementary schools – "as a last resort". But first and foremost, the party relies on the conviction of the parents. "When little girls wear headscarves in kindergarten and elementary school, this has nothing to do with religion", but make children recognizable as outsiders, it is said to justify. Basically, the CDU stands for freedom of belief.

Equal living conditions

The CDU is committed to the goal of equal living conditions in East and West. Even 30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, there is still a lot to do to complete the internal unity, said Saxony-Anhalt’s Prime Minister Rainer Haseloff at the adoption of a "Leipzig Declaration". "But if anyone can do it, it’s the CDU."

Sources used: dpa news agency

If you want to reduce heat losses in your house, you shouldn’t blindly follow tradesman recommendations or the tips of neighbors. How to find the right insulation technology and when it makes sense at all.

overview

Exterior insulation Interior insulation Core insulation Table: Comparison of insulation materials

Insulate quickly before the winter cold: In late summer and autumn the mailboxes are full again with the flyers from the hardware stores – and they often advertise their thermal insulation systems in them. In the meantime, do-it-yourselfers are offered not only thick rolls of mineral wool for roof insulation, but also so-called thermal insulation composite systems for facade insulation.writing a argumentative essay Compared to complete processing by a professional craftsman, this is of course unrivaled cheap. But does it also make sense?

Do-it-yourself may be an attractive alternative to hiring a specialist company for bargain hunters. But hardly any insulation variant can be implemented without risk on one’s own. The wrong or improper installation of thermal insulation, especially in difficult areas such as wall or roof connections, balconies, window reveals or openings for pipes and lines, can lead to structural damage due to condensation and mold. Overlooked cold bridges can destroy the insulating effect. A rework or even the rebuilding of the insulation turn such a project into a money grave.

Method, material and doer are decisive for success

Put simply, an insulation measure makes sense if it meets four criteria: firstly, it must be technically feasible, secondly, it must save energy efficiently, thirdly, it must be as environmentally friendly as possible, and fourthly, last but not least, it must be calculated in such a way that the costs are reduced within an acceptable period of time Amortize energy savings.

The problem: there are an estimated 200 different insulation materials; Around 80 processes are in use for the subsequent thermal insulation of old buildings alone. Without in-depth background knowledge, practical practical experience and realistic calculation, it is very difficult to find the right solution for a single property.

The various conceivable thermal insulation measures must be tailored to each building individually, based on its structural condition and the needs of the residents. So it helps to at least seek expert advice and to find out about various methods, materials and costs before starting the thermal insulation measure. Prepared in this way, discussions with craft firms or energy consultants are more likely to lead to success.

Our overview of various insulation techniques for walls, ceilings and roofs provides an initial orientation (see table at the end of the article). Replacing old windows or – often particularly economical – switching to a modern heating system are not taken into account here. Just this much: the heating and windows should be selected to match the already insulated building, otherwise the heating may be oversized or the new windows provide better protection against the cold than the surrounding walls – which causes new problems with condensation.

Methods: exterior, interior and core insulation 

There are basically three different methods that can be used to reduce heat losses in buildings. In general, a distinction must be made between external and internal insulation, and there is also core insulation, also known as blow-in insulation. Each method has advantages and disadvantages.

External insulation

When it comes to insulating the facade or on the roof, external insulation is preferable in terms of building physics, in which insulation material is attached to the external walls or roof structure of the building. The reason: The cold does not even penetrate the building to the extent that it is, the masonry can absorb the interior heat and hold it for longer. However, the prerequisite is that no moisture can penetrate from the outside. A complete and professional sealing of the outer shell, a so-called weather protection layer, is therefore a must.

External insulation is particularly suitable for roofs and facades, but it is expensive. Depending on the insulation material, insulation thickness, structural requirements and installation effort by a craft business, the costs per square meter range from 60 to 160 euros per square meter of insulated area. As a rule, it is only considered economical if the roof or facade is in need of renovation anyway, because then, for example, scaffolding or covering the roof is inevitable anyway. Then only the additional costs of the insulation measures have to be amortized through the energy savings.

Often, however, external insulation is not possible or not desired, for example because the building is a listed building, the beautiful clinker brick facade would be covered or the roof does not protrude far enough over the external wall to cover a possibly thick layer of insulation.

Interior insulation

Then often all that remains is the internal insulation of the outer walls or the upper storey ceiling or the roof. The roof can also be insulated between the rafters, which is also done from the inside. The interior insulation of cold exterior walls has two main disadvantages: the insulation layer reduces the size of the living space and the dew point moves further into the interior of the building. In the event of improper installation, there is therefore a risk that warm, moist air will hit the cold masonry underneath the insulation layer and condensation will form. Since it is technically demanding, interior insulation should only be carried out by specialist companies, otherwise there is a risk of structural damage. In addition, interior insulation places higher demands on the insulation material and makes the project relatively expensive. On average, it costs 200 euros and more per square meter.

Core insulation

A third method, so to speak, fills the gap between external and internal insulation: core insulation. Flakes of an insulation material are blown through holes into cavities, which is why we also speak of blown insulation. In principle, this method is suitable wherever there are cavities in the building. This technology is ideal for exterior walls with a double-shell structure, where a second exterior wall, usually made of clinker bricks, forms the actual facade at a distance of a few centimeters from the supporting exterior wall.

It is estimated that between 20 and 30 percent of old buildings in Germany are suitable for this technology. The advantages: Cold air can no longer circulate in the outer wall, the insulation materials used, such as cellulose or wood fibers, are environmentally friendly and inexpensive. In addition, this insulation is done quickly due to the low workload, comparatively inexpensive and pays for itself through the saved energy much faster than exterior or interior insulation. The disadvantage: insulation values ​​as with external insulation of the facade can hardly be achieved due to the lower insulation thickness.

Christoph von Stein, owner of Schöne alten Häuser GmbH, has specialized with his company in blow-in insulation in roofs, storey ceilings and double-shell masonry. "In old buildings in particular, blowing-in insulation is the most cost-effective method with costs of 20 to 40 euros per square meter, because we do not tear open the components, but insert the appropriate insulation material through small openings in a minimally invasive manner"says von Stein. 

Systematically finding the right insulation method

Arnold Drewer has 30 years of practical experience in the thermal insulation of old buildings. The managing director of the Institute for Price-Optimized Energetic Building Modernization (IpeG), which specializes in the development, dissemination and professional training of effective and economical insulation technologies, considers only a few fundamental considerations and measures to be necessary in order to find the right insulation technology in individual cases. 

The first step is to identify hollow layers and cavities, as they always allow air and thus heat exchange. "Cavities make external insulation ineffective", Drewer knows from experience. "Hollow layer insulation by blowing in a suitable insulation material is up to a factor of ten cheaper than other insulation methods"he is convinced. Hollow layers can be found in walls, in double-shell outer walls, in floors, upper storey ceilings, flat and gable roofs, non-insulated jambs on the roof overhang or between row houses.

The filling of cavities is also useful for a comparatively small, but often very effective measure: the insulation of the top floor ceiling. According to the Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV), it is now even required if the roof is uninsulated and the living space underneath is heated for at least four months a year. An insulated top floor ceiling limits the volume of living space to be heated and significantly reduces heat loss through the attic. 

"However, we have made the experience in the company that a large part of the insulation on the top floor ceilings is carried out incorrectly"says von Stein. In old buildings, for example, it is typical that there are cavities between the beams of the ceiling, in which cold outside air can circulate. If these cavities were not properly filled with insulating material, a thick layer of insulation on the ceiling would also be of no use, because the heat from the living spaces below would be dissipated through the ventilated cavities before it even reached the insulating layer. Von Stein describes the filling of all cavities as the "low-hanging fruit" for owners of old buildings with insulation intentions.

The right insulation material 

The next step would be to find the right insulation material. "There is no such thing as a universal insulation material", explains Drewer. The choice must therefore be made on the basis of the structural conditions and the desired insulation effect. "Vacuum panels are, for example, 500 times more expensive than cellulose, but with a thickness of only one to two centimeters they are highly efficient and suitable for solving problems in very cramped conditions." As a rule of thumb, the more space the insulation can take up, the cheaper and thicker the insulation material can be.

With regard to the savings effect, the heat transfer coefficient, the so-called U-value, is decisive for insulation materials. It specifies the energy required for a component to maintain a temperature difference of one degree between the two sides of the insulation material. The U-value is given in watts per square meter and Kelvin (W / m²K). The lower the U-value of an insulation material, the better it prevents heat loss and the less it has to be heated. 

Wherever the EnEV prescribes insulation during renovation, a U-value of 0.24 W / m²K should be achieved for the component. For example, for a single-shell exterior wall that has a U-value of 0.87 W / m²K without insulation, a thermal insulation composite system with 14 centimeter-thick polystyrene panels with a U-value of 0.032 W / m²K is installed and then to achieve this goal must be plastered thinly.