If you insulate a facade, replace old windows or fit a new front door, BAFA covers 15 % of the cost as a grant. With an individual renovation roadmap the rate rises to 20 %, and the cost cap doubles from €30,000 to €60,000 per residential unit and year.
That sounds like paperwork for a few percent. On a larger project, though, the roadmap decides several thousand euros in grant money. We work through that calculation here using the figures that apply as of July 2026.
What BAFA funds as a single measure
The BEG single measures run through the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA) as a direct grant on the eligible costs. The building envelope is funded:
- Insulation of facade, roof, basement ceiling and floor slabs
- Windows and French doors, provided the new U-value is at most 0.95 W/(m²K)
- Exterior doors and front doors
The base funding rate is 15 %. Eligible costs are capped at €30,000 per residential unit and year. Without any further proof this gets you up to €4,500 in grant money per unit.
The required U-value of at most 0.95 W/(m²K) rules out simple standard windows. If you replace old double glazing, check the value with the window maker before ordering. Otherwise the whole item drops out of the funding even though the windows are new.
What the iSFP changes
The individual renovation roadmap (iSFP) is a plan drawn up for your building by an energy efficiency expert. It shows the sensible order in which to carry out measures. Anyone who derives a funded single measure from this roadmap gains two advantages.
The funding rate rises by 5 percentage points to 20 %. The cap on eligible costs doubles to €60,000 per residential unit and year.
For each recommended measure the roadmap records the energy state it reaches and how the steps build on one another. Even if you only insulate the facade at first, the later window replacement is already scheduled and keeps the higher funding rate. You collect the bonus over several years without having to do everything at once.
| without iSFP | with iSFP | |
|---|---|---|
| Funding rate | 15 % | 20 % |
| Eligible costs (cap) | €30,000 | €60,000 |
| Max. grant per year | €4,500 | €12,000 |
You settle the cost of the iSFP itself with the energy efficiency expert beforehand. On an extensive renovation you usually recover that amount comfortably through the higher rate and the doubled cap.
The cap applies per calendar year and residential unit. On very large projects it is worth checking whether the measures can be sensibly spread across two years so the annual cap does not limit the grant.
Worked example: facade and windows
Take a residential unit with €40,000 in eligible costs for facade insulation and new windows.
- Without iSFP: the cap sits at €30,000. 15 % of that is €4,500 in grant money. You pay the remaining €10,000 in full yourself.
- With iSFP: the cap sits at €60,000, so the full €40,000 is eligible. 20 % of that is €8,000 in grant money.
In this case the iSFP brings €3,500 more in grant money, almost double the base amount. The higher the investment, the wider the gap, because the doubled cap only bites in full on large measures.
Secure the 2026 BEG budget early
The budget for the Federal Funding for Efficient Buildings (BEG) was cut sharply for 2026, by around 58 % to roughly €2 billion. The BAFA single measures are paid from this pot. File your application early in the year and watch fund availability so the funding does not fail on exhausted budget.
Apply before you sign the contract
Planning, requesting quotes and preparing the iSFP may run beforehand. Keep the order right: have the iSFP drawn up first, then file the BAFA application, then commission the tradesperson. You will find an overview of the programmes under Funding.
§ 35c as an alternative without a grant application
Instead of the BAFA grant you can claim the same measure against tax under § 35c EStG: 20 % of the expenditure over three years, up to €40,000 per property. Combining both for the same costs is ruled out. Which route is cheaper depends on your tax burden and the size of the costs. The full comparison is under Tax bonus § 35c or grant.
§ 35c applies only to owner-occupied buildings older than ten years and requires completion before 01/01/2030. Landlords and new builds fall outside it. For them the BAFA grant remains the route to funding.
If the heating is due anyway, it is worth looking at the heating subsidy via KfW 458, which runs separately from the BAFA single measures.
From insulation to a sealed facade
A funded facade insulation is rarely a standalone trade. It depends on windows, connections and often on the waterproofing at the plinth and basement.
For the BWB in Berlin refurbishment we fully gutted two existing buildings, renewed the roofs and brought the facade up to the current energy standard. Where moisture is involved, we work with waterproofing to DIN 18195 so the new insulation stays permanently dry.
This combination of gutting, a new roof and an insulated facade is typical when an older building has to reach a fundable standard. We swap the windows in the same run so the joints between insulation and frame sit cleanly and the required U-value actually reaches the component.
For your project we inspect the building envelope on site and tell you which measure pays off with the iSFP and in what order it makes sense. Call us on +49 3375 95 09 70 or arrange a free initial consultation.
