How Germans' current heating behavior influences their spending - an analysis by Ista

How Germans' current heating behavior influences their spending - an analysis by Ista

According to a report by amp2.wiwo.de, a new analysis by real estate service provider Ista shows that Germans are heating more than is necessary despite the mild weather in the current heating season.

The study by the real estate service provider Ista, in which around two million digital measuring devices in 350,000 apartments were evaluated, showed that consumption for heating increased by twelve percent from September to November compared to the same period last year. However, due to the mild weather during this period, the heating requirement would have been twelve percent lower. The analysis also showed that twelve percent more heating was used throughout Germany than would have been necessary after adjusting for the weather, which can only be attributed to human behavior.

These figures show that heating behavior varies greatly from region to region: in Berlin, for example, 14 percent more heating energy was used than necessary, while in Saxony and Bavaria the increase in weather-adjusted heating was only seven percent.

Ista also makes a forecast for 2023 as a whole: The consumption of heating oil will increase by five percent compared to the previous year, natural gas by eight percent and district heating by four percent.

The results of the study and Ista's forecast show that increased heating consumption will lead to rising costs for consumers. This could lead to increased demand for energy saving measures and efficient heating systems, which in turn could have a potentially positive impact on the relevant industries. It is important that consumers use energy more consciously in order to both reduce their own costs and contribute to environmental protection.