Heat pump Berlin
Heat pumps in Berlin at a glance
Berlin is a city-state, making it both a federal state and a city. Municipal heat planning takes place city-wide, rather than separately by district. The Senate adopted the heat plan 1.0 on 16 June 2026, on time before the statutory deadline of 30 June 2026 for large cities. Details are provided below under “Status of municipal heat planning”.
The former Berlin grant programmes HeiztauschPLUS and Effiziente GebäudePLUS have been closed to new applications since December 2023. An announced successor programme has not yet started. Private individuals use federal funding through KfW 458, supplemented by the IBB Wohnraum modernisieren loan programme. Details are provided below under “Berlin state funding”.
Berlin has special requirements for geothermal energy. The Senate Department generally does not permit additional heat discharge into groundwater. However, heat extraction via borehole probes or groundwater heat pumps remains possible.
See also: Nationwide basis. KfW 458, GEG and the technical minimum requirements apply in Berlin without restriction.
RECOMMENDED PROVIDERS
Berlin state funding
| Programme | Target group | Status 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Effiziente GebäudePLUS (IBB) | Private individuals | stopped (19.12.2023) |
| HeiztauschPLUS | Private individuals | discontinued (31.12.2021) |
| IBB Wohnraum modernisieren | Private individuals | active |
Effiziente GebäudePLUS and HeiztauschPLUS no longer accept new applications. Existing applications continue. An announced successor programme from the Senatsverwaltung für Wirtschaft, Energie und Betriebe has not yet started.
IBB Wohnraum modernisieren offers a low-interest loan of up to 100.000 Euro per residential unit, up to 100 percent of eligible costs, a repayment-free first year and terms of up to 30 Jahre.
For private individuals, federal funding through KfW 458 is the main route: 30 percent basic funding plus a tiered income bonus (40 percent up to household income of 30.000 Euro, 30 percent up to 40.000 Euro, 10 percent up to 50.000 Euro, increased by 10.000 Euro per child) plus a 16 percent climate speed bonus, capped at 80 percent of 28.000 Euro eligible costs.
Current information is provided by the Senatsverwaltung Energie and the Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB).
Water law: geothermal energy and groundwater
Geothermal borehole probes and groundwater heat pumps require a water-law permit under the Berliner Wassergesetz (BWG). The responsible authority is the water authority of the Senatsverwaltung für Mobilität, Verkehr, Klimaschutz und Umwelt (SenMVKU).
Berlin takes a restrictive approach because groundwater has already been warmed by human influences and also serves as the city’s sole source of drinking water.
| Condition | Rule |
|---|---|
| Drinking water protection areas | Geothermal energy use generally prohibited |
| Heat discharge into groundwater | generally not permitted |
| Heat extraction via borehole probe or groundwater heat pump | possible, subject to individual approval |
| Geothermal collector (near-surface) | so far permit-free if at least 1 m above the highest groundwater level |
The nationwide Geothermie-Beschleunigungsgesetz has made approval of such collectors easier since the end of 2025. It remains unclear whether Berlin will depart from this because of its stricter groundwater rules. Before installing a collector, ask the SenMVKU directly.
Application forms and guidance notes are provided by the Senatsverwaltung Wasser und Geologie.
PROVIDERS
Building regulations: noise protection and minimum distances
The Bauordnung für Berlin (BauO Bln) makes it easier to install heat pumps. The relevant provision is § 6 Abs. 8 sentence 1 no. 3 BauO Bln.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Height (including enclosure) | up to 2 m |
| Length along the property boundary | up to 3 m |
| Installation within the setback area | permitted |
| Own setback area | not required |
| Standard | TA Lärm |
According to the wording of the law, the 15-metre total-length clause in § 6 Abs. 8 BauO Bln applies only to garages and solar installations, not heat pumps. Unlike in NRW or Bremen, Berlin therefore has no additional total-length restriction for heat pumps. This means that even dense terraced-house arrangements are possible without issue. Compliance with the TA Lärm values remains decisive.
Key authorities in the federal state
Senatsverwaltung für Mobilität, Verkehr, Klimaschutz und Umwelt
The Senate Department is Berlin’s water authority. It approves geothermal and groundwater heat pumps and carries out city-wide heat planning.
Senatsverwaltung für Wirtschaft, Energie und Betriebe
The Senate Department shapes Berlin’s energy and funding policy. A successor programme to Effiziente GebäudePLUS has been announced but has not yet started.
Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB) and IBB Business Team
IBB administers Berlin’s funding programmes. The IBB Business Team handles heating funding and refurbishment advice.
IBB Business Team telephone: 030 2125-0
District offices with environmental and nature conservation departments
Berlin’s twelve district offices provide advice on local requirements and investigate noise-protection complaints.
Verbraucherzentrale Berlin
Verbraucherzentrale Berlin offers energy advice in several districts.
Telephone: 030 214 85-0
Status of municipal heat planning
Berlin has drawn up its heat plan city-wide. The plan does not distinguish between districts, but designates supply areas for the whole city.
| Status | Content |
|---|---|
| End of 2024 | first results published |
| End of 2024/2025 | public consultation process |
| 16 June 2026 | Senate adopts heat plan 1.0 |
| 30 June 2026 | statutory deadline, met on time |
The heat plan designates priority areas for district heating and decentralised supply areas for heat pumps. A comprehensive hydrogen network is not planned; hydrogen is expected to play a role, if at all, only to a limited extent in existing heating networks. The district-heating share is to rise to around 45 percent by 2045; together with heat pumps, around 95 percent of heat supply is to be covered. Around one third of buildings are in decentralised areas, corresponding to approximately 6 percent of city-wide heat demand.
Professional associations criticise some assumptions in the plan: BUND Berlin considers the assumed refurbishment rate of 1,7 percent too optimistic, while Bundesverband Wärmepumpe criticises what it sees as the high district-heating share, given a network expansion that in many areas will not be completed until 2045.
Frequently asked questions
Which Berlin funding can I use for my heat pump?
Above all, the low-interest IBB Wohnraum modernisieren loan. The HeiztauschPLUS and Effiziente GebäudePLUS grant programmes no longer accept new applications. Private individuals can also use federal funding through KfW 458.
May I drill a geothermal borehole probe in Berlin?
Generally yes, outside drinking water protection areas. The Senate Department assesses each case individually. Because groundwater temperatures are already elevated, it rejects additional heat discharge, but heat extraction remains possible.
How close may my air-source heat pump be to the property boundary?
Up to 2 metres high and 3 metres long along the property boundary, no minimum distances apply, without an additional total-length cap. TA Lärm must be complied with.
Has Berlin already completed its heat planning?
Yes. The Senate adopted the heat plan 1.0 on 16 June 2026, on time before the deadline of 30 June 2026. However, professional associations criticise some assumptions in the plan.
What does “decentralised supply area” mean for me?
No district-heating network will be built there. Owners need their own heating solution, and a heat pump is often the best option here.
Key sources
- IBB Investitionsbank Berlin
- IBB Business Team funding programmes
- Senatsverwaltung Energie funding overview
- Berliner Wassergesetz (BWG)
- Senatsverwaltung geothermal energy use
- Bauordnung für Berlin (BauO Bln)
- Senatsverwaltung Berlin heat planning
Note on currency
Funding programmes and the heat plan continue to develop, and a successor programme to Effiziente GebäudePLUS is still outstanding. Check the current status with the IBB and the Senatsverwaltung Energie.