Short and sweet: GEIG simply explained

What is behind the Building Electromobility Infrastructure Act?

The Building Electromobility Infrastructure Act (GEIG) has been in force in Germany since 2021. The aim is to accelerate the expansion of charging infrastructure in the building sector and ensure that electromobility is considered from the outset in new buildings and major renovations.

The GEIG thus makes an important contribution to the German government’s climate protection program and complements the European requirements of the AFIR Regulation (Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation). Together, the two regulations form the legal framework for a nationwide, user-friendly charging infrastructure in Europe.

What does the GEIG actually regulate?

The GEIG obliges owners and developers to prepare the technical infrastructure for charging points in new buildings and major renovations – for example with empty conduits, cables or the installation of charging options. This means that charging stations can be retrofitted at a later date with little effort.

A distinction is made between residential and non-residential buildings:

• – Residential buildings:
  For new buildings with more than five parking spaces, each parking space must be equipped with empty conduits for electrical cables. The same requirement applies to major renovations.

• – Non-residential buildings:
  For new buildings with more than six parking spaces, at least every fifth parking space must be pre-equipped and at least one charging point installed. Comparable requirements also apply to extensive renovations.  These regulations create long-term planning security and ensure that electromobility can be implemented quickly in the building sector.

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New requirements from 2025: charging point obligation for existing buildings

From January 1, 2025, a new requirement will apply:
Existing buildings with more than 20 parking spaces must provide at least one charging point. This ends the previous transitional period – there is now a need for action, especially for commercially used properties.  Owners who violate the charging point obligation face fines of up to 10,000 euros count. At the same time, new opportunities are opening up: investing in charging infrastructure now increases the value of your property and positions you for the future.

You can find out more about this in our article on the charging point obligation 2025.

Neighborhood approach & exceptions

The GEIG makes it possible to plan and implement charging infrastructure together. Using the so-called neighborhood approach, several owners of neighboring buildings can agree to provide the charging infrastructure in a bundled manner. This reduces costs and facilitates implementation.

Excluded from the GEIG are:

• – small and medium-sized enterprises that largely use their non-residential buildings themselves,

• – as well as projects where the costs for the expansion of the charging and cable infrastructure would amount to more than 7% of the total renovation costs.

Future-oriented charging infrastructure with reev

The GEIG clearly shows that charging infrastructure is no longer an option – it is part of modern building planning. Intelligent software solutions are needed to implement these requirements economically and flexibly.  With the reev Software and the reev Energy Management System the construction and operation of charging infrastructure becomes simple, scalable and legally compliant:

• – Automated billing for employees, tenants and guests

• – Cloud-based energy management for efficient control

• – Transparent cost control via the reev Platform

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This keeps owners and operators on the safe side at all times – technically, legally and economically.

The GEIG is an important step towards driving forward the expansion of charging infrastructure in the building sector. The charging point obligation from 2025 will increase the pressure, but also the opportunity to equip properties for the future. Those who invest in intelligent systems at an early stage will benefit from lower operating costs, greater attractiveness and legal security.