• Prohibition against illuminating public and historic buildings or monuments for aesthetic reasons. Exceptions exist.
• Prohibition of light advertising and lighted shop windows between 10pm and 6am.
• Maximum indoor temperature in public workplaces 19 degrees. In workplaces where physical work is performed, the maximum temperature is set to 12 degrees. Some spaces may not be heated at all such as foyers or technology spaces. Exceptions exist for, for example, hospitals and schools.
• Ban on hot water in sinks in public buildings. Exceptions for places where hot water is required for hygienic reasons.
• Stores must keep entrance doors and windows closed to prevent heat from escaping.
• Prohibition for private individuals to heat the water in their own swimming pools, regardless of whether they are indoors or outdoors.
• Many German cities have also introduced voluntary energy savings such as turning off or dimming street lighting.
The regulation applies for 6 months from 1 September.