The Building Electric Mobility Infrastructure Act is intended to accelerate the expansion of charging infrastructure for electric mobility. Stricter EU requirements will soon take effect, especially for office properties.
Since March 2021, the Building Electric Mobility Infrastructure Act (GEIG) has regulated the expansion of charging infrastructure on real estate. It applies to both new buildings and existing buildings. In March 2024, an amendment to the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) was also adopted. The specifications will now be incorporated into the GEIG. Find out everything you need to know at a glance here.
1. Objectives of the GEIG
With the help of the GEIG, a nationwide charging infrastructure for electric cars is to be implemented. The focus is on residential and non-residential buildings with larger parking spaces. To make it easier to charge electric cars at home, at work or on the road, the law prescribes a certain number of charging points or the pre-installation of charging infrastructure.
Anyone who submits a building application or submits a building notification for a new building, extension, extension or renovation of existing buildings must comply with this law for the building.
Cable infrastructure is defined as suitable cable routing for electrical and data cables. These can be, for example, empty conduits, cable conduits or floor installation systems. In addition, it also includes the required space for the meter space, the installation of intelligent metering systems for charging management and the necessary protective elements (GEIG § 4).
Pre-cabling means laying cables up to the parking space in order to be able to connect charging stations quickly. Since pre-cabling should also provide options for intelligent and bidirectional charging, it includes not only electrical but also data cables.
2. What does GEIG prescribe?
Residential building: In newly built residential properties with more than 5 parking spaces, all parking spaces must be equipped with an electromobility-capable infrastructure. For larger renovations, this requirement applies from 10 parking spaces. A major renovation affects more than 25% of the building envelope.
Non-residential buildings: Anyone who builds a new non-residential building with at least 6 parking spaces must equip every third parking space with cable infrastructure and build at least one charging point. In the case of major renovations of buildings with at least 10 parking spaces, every fifth parking space must be equipped with electromobility-capable infrastructure (cables) and a charging point must be installed, unless the costs exceed 7% of the total renovation costs. Buildings owned by a small or medium-sized enterprise that are also predominantly used by it are excluded (GEIG §1 para. 2).
By 1 January 2025, every non-residential building with more than 20 parking spaces must also be equipped with at least one charging point.
If an owner has more than one non-residential building, the obligation can also be fulfilled by erecting the total number of charging points to be built together on one property. However, the existing or expected demand for all properties must be taken into account. Therefore, a plan must also be available for all affected non-residential buildings and parking spaces.
Charging points: Here, it is important to observe the minimum legal requirements for the installation and commissioning of charging points. For publicly accessible charging points, the "Ordinance on Minimum Technical Requirements for the Safe and Interoperable Construction and Operation of Publicly Accessible Charging Points for Electric Vehicles" is decisive.
Good to know: Anyone who does not meet the prescribed requirements for a new building or existing building or provides the appropriate infrastructure faces a fine of up to 10,000 euros.
3. What is the future requirement of the EPBD?
The amendment to the EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPBD) still has to be integrated into the German GEIG. Specifications may change during this implementation. Currently, however, the following regulations are planned at EU level:
Residential building: Anyone who builds a new residential building with more than 3 parking spaces or extensively renovates it must pre-cable at least 50% of the parking spaces and provide the remaining parking spaces with cable infrastructure. In the case of new buildings, at least one charging point must also be built.
Non-residential buildings: Anyone who builds or fundamentally renovates a non-residential building with at least 5 parking spaces must build at least one charging point for every 5th parking space. A stricter requirement applies to office buildings: Here, every second parking space is to be equipped with a charging point. Half of the remaining parking spaces must be pre-wired and all other parking spaces must be equipped with empty conduits. In the case of renovations, an exception applies if the cost of the line and charging infrastructure exceeds 10% of the total renovation costs.
For non-residential buildings with more than 20 parking spaces, at least one charging point per 10 parking spaces will be required from 1 January 2027. Alternatively, pipeline infrastructure can be built for at least 50% of the parking spaces. Exceptions apply to public facilities such as schools or town halls.
In addition, it must be ensured that the charging points can be used simultaneously and efficiently, which can be achieved, for example, by load management – as far as this is technically and economically feasible. The charging points should enable intelligent charging and, if necessary, bidirectional charging.
4. What happens now?
After the adoption of the EPBD amendment, the requirement must be converted into German law. Germany has two years to transpose the EU requirements into national law. Until then, the current requirements of the GEIG apply.
5. Our solution for you
The tightening of the requirements – especially for office properties – poses a challenge for many property owners: To enable you to implement the requirements of the GEIG and the EPBD amendment in the most time- and cost-efficient way, Vattenfall InCharge offers a special solution for real estate charging on office properties. As the owner, you only bear the costs for the pre-installation – including planning, pipeline infrastructure, PreCheck and load management. The costs for the ongoing operation of the charging stations will be borne by your tenants.