'Dress Warmer': German Chambers of Commerce Call to Reduce Heat in Offices to Curb Gas Consumption

BERLIN (Sputnik) - The Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) is advocating lower heating temperatures in offices amid ongoing gas crisis, President Peter Adrian said on Tuesday.

"Every degree counts. In my warehouse, I have to provide either 17 or 19 degrees, depending on how much people work there from time to time. You can probably get by with less... You could also reduce the heating in the offices a little bit. Then you might have to dress warmer," Adrian told German news agency DPA.

In the event that the next degree of the emergency gas plan comes into effect, Adrian suggested that employee health regulations be relied upon in revising the heating requirements.

"It also includes ordinances to heat workshops, offices, and even warehouses to certain temperatures. The workplace ordinance prescribes standards, even if the people who work there are willing to do with less," he stressed.

Following Adrian's statement, the German trade union confederation DGB has criticized the DIHK proposal.

"Instructing employees to freeze or wear thick sweaters is irresponsible," association chairman Anja Piel told DPA.

According to Piel, conditions in offices, workshops or large factory buildings are very different - and companies must first implement heat and energy efficiency measures in the buildings themselves.

The technical regulation requires employers to ensure a minimum temperature of 12 degrees Celsius in facilities where heavy physical work is performed. For less strenuous work the regulation prescribes 17 to 20 degrees Celsius.

Earlier in the day, Bild reported that the German Federal Chancellor's office would hold an emergency meeting with representatives of the regional authorities to discuss the energy crisis unfolding in the country.

According to the newspaper, the meeting will be conducted at the level of the heads of the chancellery, both the Federal Chancellor and the State Chancellery of the regional governments. Klaus Muller, the President of the Federal Network Agency, the energy infrastructure regulator, will also attend the meeting, according to Bild.

Regional authorities from the opposition Christian Democratic and Christian Social Union insist on increased coordination of the energy policy between the country's authorities. Notably, they seek clarification of the cabinet's plans regarding potential non-resumption of gas supplies via Nord Stream 1 pipelines after repair, and to explore conceptual mechanisms the cabinet has elaborated to secure gas purchase if the situation deteriorates.

Furthermore, the two parties are willing to clarify the possibility of accelerating the approval procedures for companies to switch to coal, oil and firewood, if necessary, as well as evaluate the amount of gas that can be supplied through alternative sources, the newspaper reported.

Since 2021, energy prices in Europe have been surging as part of a global trend. After the beginning of Russia's operation in Ukraine and the adoption of several packages of sanctions against Russia by the West, the situation with energy prices has considerably worsened.

On June 23, German Energy Minister Robert Habeck announced the activation of the second phase of the gas emergency plan, which stipulates, among others, that companies have to initiate measures to limit gas consumption.