Public petition n°4074

Petitioner: Radu Stefan Acsinte

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In the current context of geopolitical instability and energy shocks-particularly linked to the war in Iran and disruptions in energy markets-Luxembourg must strengthen its energy resilience by accelerating the uptake of efficient, low-carbon heating solutions such as heat pumps. We request that, solely for access to subsidies/financial support (Klimabonus) related to heat pumps, the current acoustic control method be adapted: the 40 dB(A) threshold would be maintained, but the assessment would be carried out at the relevant immission point (at the window closest to a noise-sensitive room at the neighbour's dwelling) rather than at the property boundary.

1) Energy resilience The current crisis shows that a country dependent on external energy supplies is exposed to price spikes and supply disruptions. Accelerating the transition to high-performance, low-carbon heating systems helps reduce this vulnerability. 2) A "property boundary" criterion is too restrictive in dense areas Today, the official tool schallrechner.lu indicates that, to demonstrate eligibility for subsidies, compliance with a 40 dB(A) level must be verified at the boundary of the nearest buildable neighbouring plot. In practice, this reference point is particularly restrictive for semi-detached houses, dense housing estates, and apartment buildings, where it is often impossible to locate the outdoor unit far enough away from the boundary. 3) Maintain neighbour protection, but with a more realistic and relevant measurement logic We are not asking to increase the limit: the 40 dB(A) threshold would remain unchanged. We are only asking to adjust the reference point so that it reflects the neighbour's real exposure (immission point), which is more consistent with the protection objective. 4) Example of a more sensible approach in Germany In Germany, the assessment of noise from technical installations is carried out by reference to an "immission point": the LAI (Bund/Länder-Arbeitsgemeinschaft Immissionsschutz) specifies that this immission point is located 0.5 m in front of the window of the most affected noise-sensitive room (bedroom, living room, etc.). This approach protects people where they actually live (windows/rooms) and avoids unnecessarily blocking projects merely because plots are small.