Anyone building new in Berlin or Brandenburg in 2026 and planning a KfW loan ends up at one of three programme numbers: 297, 298 or 300. All three require Efficiency House 40, but they differ clearly in loan limits, income thresholds and target group.
Which programme fits you depends on whether you build as a private individual, as a company or as a family with a child. The figures below are current as of July 2026. KfW adjusts the interest rates regularly, so check them before you apply.
Efficiency House 40 is the entry ticket
Efficiency House 40 means the new build uses only 40 percent of the primary energy of a statutory reference building. Without this standard, none of the three programmes pays out. For the Climate-Friendly New Build, a life-cycle climate assessment is added that also evaluates the CO2 emissions from building materials and construction.
Since 2 March 2026, programmes 297 and 298 also offer a new Efficiency House 55 tier. It starts at around 1.0 percent interest, while EH40 sits at about 0.6 percent (10-year fixed term). KfW pays no repayment grant for new builds, so the benefit lies solely in the low interest rate.
297, 298 and 300 in direct comparison
| Feature | KfW 297 | KfW 298 | KfW 300 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loan limit | up to €100,000 per residential unit, up to €150,000 with QNG seal | up to €100,000 per residential unit, up to €150,000 with QNG seal | €170,000 / 200,000 / 220,000 (1 / 2 / 3+ children), up to €270,000 with QNG-Plus or Premium |
| Requirement | Efficiency House 40 plus life-cycle climate assessment | Efficiency House 40 plus life-cycle climate assessment | Efficiency House 40 plus QNG, owner-occupancy for at least 5 years |
| Target group | private individuals (owner-occupiers and private landlords) | companies and investors | families with at least 1 minor child, taxable income max. €90,000 |
Programmes 297 and 298: Climate-Friendly New Build
297 and 298 fund the same standard and differ in the applicant. 297 is aimed at private individuals, 298 at companies and investors. The loan runs up to €100,000 per residential unit and rises to up to €150,000 with the QNG seal.
The QNG seal (Quality Seal for Sustainable Buildings) requires independent certification. It only pays off when the higher loan limit justifies the certification effort. For a single-family house with one residential unit, that is a calculation worth doing beforehand.
Because the limit applies per residential unit, it adds up quickly for apartment buildings. Four residential units under programme 298 come to up to €400,000 in low-interest credit, or up to €600,000 with the QNG seal. Investors who let out apply through 298, private owner-occupiers through 297.
Programme 300: Home Ownership for Families
KfW 300 is tied to families. It requires at least one minor child in the household and a taxable income of no more than €90,000, which rises by €10,000 for each additional child.
The loan limit is staggered by number of children: €170,000 for one child, €200,000 for two, €220,000 for three or more. QNG-Plus or QNG-Premium add €30,000 each, up to a maximum of €270,000. The home must be owner-occupied for at least five years.
300 cannot be combined with 297 or 298. Families have to weigh whether the higher family-related loan limit or the standard KFN programme fits better. Anyone building in Brandenburg should also check the state funding from the ILB, which offers a €10,000 grant and an interest-free loan. The details are in our article on ILB funding in Brandenburg.
How the KfW loan fits into the overall budget
All three loans apply per residential unit and rarely cover the full construction cost. They top up your bank's standard construction financing at a lower interest rate. For a single-family house with one residential unit, programme 297 means up to €100,000 at a low rate, with the remaining amount financed conventionally.
Because KfW pays no repayment grant for new builds, you should plan the repayment from the start. The saving comes solely from the interest difference over the entire term.
For the proof, you are required to engage an energy efficiency expert from the federal government's official expert list. They confirm the Efficiency House tier to KfW and accompany the build. Without this confirmation, KfW pays out no Efficiency House loan.
What Efficiency House 40 means for planning
Efficiency House 40 shapes the planning from the very start. Insulation thicknesses, window areas, airtightness, building services and the orientation of the structure are interlinked and must be coordinated early. Recalculating it only after the shell is built gets expensive.
For turnkey new builds, we factor the Efficiency House requirements in from the first sketch. For the family home with office extension by Gabrys Architektur, we handled the shell, carpentry and facade, exactly the interfaces where an efficiency house has to be airtight. Our own engineers calculate the proof rather than passing it on to third parties.
Märkische Projekt Bau has been building in Berlin and Brandenburg for more than 25 years, within a radius of around 50 kilometres of our base in Wildau. For turnkey construction, we coordinate all trades including planning, building application and site management. That keeps the Efficiency House proof and the execution in one hand, so the details of thermal protection do not fall through the gap between two firms.
How to secure the funding
The first step is to clarify which programme fits your project: 297 as a private individual, or the comparison between 300 and 297 for a family with a child. In a free initial consultation, we go through your building project, the right Efficiency House proof and the funding options. Bring the rough living area, the number of planned residential units and, for programme 300, your taxable income, and we can quickly gauge which loan limit is realistic. You will find an overview of all programmes on our funding page, and you can arrange an appointment through the contact form or by phone at +49 3375 95 09 70.
