Anyone wanting to improve the energy efficiency of an older house or condominium quickly faces many individual questions: which measure first, what does it cost, and what is funded? The individueller Sanierungsfahrplan (iSFP) answers exactly that. It is a step-by-step strategy for a specific building, prepared by an approved energy consultant. One thing first: despite the widespread phrase "KfW renovation roadmap", the iSFP itself is not funded by KfW but through BAFA. KfW only comes into play during implementation. This guide explains the iSFP, process, costs and funding clearly and neutrally.
What is an individual renovation roadmap (iSFP)?
The individueller Sanierungsfahrplan is a clearly presented advisory report that describes the energy-efficiency renovation of a residential building in sensible, mutually reinforcing steps. Instead of carrying out individual measures "at random", it provides a well-considered sequence so that later steps are not blocked by earlier ones.
An iSFP usually contains:
- an assessment of the building and its current energy condition,
- a renovation roadmap with recommended packages of measures and a logical sequence,
- notes on expected costs, possible savings and funding options.
An iSFP is not an energy certificate. The energy certificate under the Building Energy Act (GEG) assesses energy quality and is required when selling or letting. The iSFP goes further: it shows a concrete path to improvement. The two documents complement each other but do not replace one another.
Who creates the iSFP?
An eligible iSFP may only be prepared by qualified Energie-Effizienz-Experten who are listed in the "Energy Efficiency Expert List for Federal Funding Programmes" for the field of "energy consulting for residential buildings". This list is maintained by the German Energy Agency (dena).
In practice this means: not everyone who calls themselves an "energy consultant" can issue a funded iSFP. What matters is the entry in the expert list. The dena list makes it possible to find approved specialists in the region. For owners in Düsseldorf and North Rhine-Westphalia, the choice is wide.
Richter Immobilien-Transaktionen does not create renovation roadmaps itself and does not act as an energy consultant. We classify the topic here neutrally, because the energy condition and any renovation roadmap can play a role when selling.
Process: in which steps is an iSFP created?
The path to the iSFP usually follows a clear pattern:
- Contact and commission: You commission an approved Energie-Effizienz-Experte. Often this person also takes care of the funding application to BAFA.
- On-site appointment: The expert inspects the building, records components, heating and weak points and reviews existing documents.
- Analysis and calculation: On this basis, energy parameters are determined and packages of measures are assessed.
- Drawing up the roadmap: The written iSFP is created with a recommended sequence and notes on costs and savings.
- Final discussion: The expert explains the results so that you can put the next steps into perspective.
The iSFP is then a sound basis for decisions, comparing quotes and later funding applications.
Costs of the iSFP and BAFA funding
The iSFP is produced as part of an energy consultation. The fees are not set by law and differ depending on the building, the effort involved and the provider. The decisive point is that the consultation is subsidised through BAFA.
In BAFA's "Energy Consulting for Residential Buildings" (EBW) funding programme, the following applies (as of 2025/2026):
- The subsidy is generally 50 percent of the eligible consulting costs.
- The funding is capped: for one- and two-family homes it is up to 650 €, for residential buildings with three or more units up to 850 €.
- If the advisory report is additionally explained at a homeowners' association meeting, a one-off supplement of up to 250 € is possible.
Funding rates and caps can change. What is always decisive is the current BAFA guideline at the time of application. The funding application is usually submitted by the commissioned Energie-Effizienz-Experte.
The iSFP bonus: 5 percentage points more on implementation
The real leverage of the iSFP only becomes apparent during implementation. Anyone carrying out individual renovation measures based on an iSFP and applying for subsidies from the Federal Funding for Efficient Buildings – Individual Measures (BEG EM) at BAFA receives the iSFP bonus of 5 percentage points on top.
An example: for measures on the building envelope, such as insulation or new windows, the basic funding rate is 15 percent. With the iSFP bonus it rises to 20 percent. Equally important: with an iSFP, the limit on eligible expenditure increases from 30.000 € to 60.000 € per residential unit and calendar year. This multiplies the possible subsidy for larger projects.
Please note: the iSFP bonus applies to measures on the building envelope and system technology as well as to heating optimisation, but not to heating funding itself (such as installing a heat pump). Separate bonuses apply there, such as the speed bonus and the income bonus. After it has been drawn up, the iSFP remains usable for the bonus for 15 years.
How it works together with the KfW programmes
This is where the slug "KfW renovation roadmap" often causes confusion. Funding for the iSFP itself runs through BAFA, not through KfW. KfW even explicitly points out that it no longer funds the iSFP.
KfW comes into play during implementation, above all through low-interest loans with a repayment subsidy. An example is the residential building loan (Programme 261) for renovation to an efficiency house. This too requires the involvement of an Energie-Effizienz-Experte, and an existing iSFP is a good planning basis.
In simplified terms: the iSFP is funded by BAFA. Individual measures with the iSFP bonus are also funded by BAFA (BEG EM). Complete renovations to an efficiency house run through KfW. Double funding of the same costs is excluded, which is why orderly planning pays off.
Why an iSFP is worthwhile – also when selling
An iSFP offers several advantages: it creates clarity about sensible steps and their sequence, it secures noticeably more funding through the iSFP bonus and the higher cost limit, and it helps avoid expensive bad investments.
The energy condition can also play a role in a later sale. Buyers today often ask about a property's energy profile and foreseeable renovation costs. A comprehensible roadmap or already implemented measures can put these questions on an objective footing.
Richter Immobilien-Transaktionen has specialised in the valuation and sale of properties in Düsseldorf and North Rhine-Westphalia for over 60 years. Over the decades, a network of more than 20,000 contacts has grown. If you would like to know how the energy condition affects the value and marketing of your property, we are happy to put it into perspective for you.
