High renovation costs for Emden district court: Facade has been crumbling for years!

High renovation costs for Emden district court: Facade has been crumbling for years!

There are problems in Emden that have become increasingly noticeable since 2018. Water is getting into the district court – a problem that must now be addressed. The estimated renovation costs for the affected facade amount to no less than 400,000 euros NWZ Online reported. However, the exact nature of the measures required is still unclear; whether the entire facade is to be worked on or only selective work is necessary will only be decided next year.

In spring 2026, a specialist company will open the facade to get to the bottom of the causes of the water entry. Previous interim solutions such as cleaning gutters or plastering work had no long-term success. District court director Henning Deeken points out that the damage is already visible: peeling plaster and damp stairs are just some of the obvious problems that are evident here.

Planned measures and safety precautions

In recent years, numerous ad hoc measures have been taken to defuse the situation. Although the state construction management did not identify any dangers for employees or visitors, safety precautions were nevertheless taken. There have also been problems with accessibility recently, as the local court elevator recently broke down.

The damage register from the previous year will now serve as the basis for the further steps in the renovation. The decision on the measures should be loud NWZ Online to be met in summer 2026. Similar to the water damage in the Emden district court, other listed buildings in Lower Saxony also have similar problems that have so far remained without sustainable solutions.

Challenges of listed buildings

Listed buildings bring with them a lot of challenges. Every structural measure must be approved by the monument protection authority, otherwise there is a risk of fines of up to 60,000 euros Auctoa highlights. This means a lot of bureaucratic effort, but there can also be tax advantages. Renovation costs are approximately 100% deductible over 12 years if the property is rented out.

However, the renovation itself can also be expensive. Historical materials and techniques increase costs noticeably - by 20 to 35% compared to a normal old building. Nevertheless, listed properties are usually exempt from the strict requirements of the Building Energy Act (GEG), which makes energy-saving renovation easier.

Energy-efficient renovation of specialized buildings

Another aspect is energy renovation. Historic buildings have special requirements for modern heating systems that differ significantly from those of newer construction methods. The temperatures often have to be higher in order to adequately heat the large rooms. Heat pumps are often not ideal for listed buildings unless extensive insulation is implemented or they are combined with high temperature heat generators in a hybrid system. State-of-the-art biomass heating systems or more classic condensing technology using fossil fuels can also represent solutions, such as Energy specialists describes.

Against this background, it will be crucial to analyze the specific situation of the Emden district court and develop an integrated concept for the renovation. This also includes close coordination between energy consultants and the monument protection authority in order to preserve the history of the building while at the same time meeting more modern requirements.