Trades welcome €500m heating fund but warn rollout is late

Austria’s federal government has set aside €500 million for thermal renovation and boiler replacements, with applications opening on November 2. Trade representatives welcome the funding but say the late start will limit activity, ORF reported.

The construction industry stands to benefit from facade renovations and other building work. Johann Reisenhofer, spokesman for the trade and crafts division of the Austrian Economic Chamber, said he was surprised by both the announcement and the size of the fund. “When I first saw it on social media, I almost thought it was fake because the sum is so large,” he said.

The measures could help safeguard jobs and lower consumers’ heating bills. However, Reisenhofer said the timing was too late, adding that the weather at the end of the year could restrict some work.

Anton Berger, who represents installers in Styria, welcomed subsidies for replacing old oil boilers but said little was likely to happen under the scheme in the final quarter of 2026 or the first quarter of 2027. He said people would not plan to replace their heating systems during the heating season.

A request to open registrations on September 1 was not accepted. Berger said long-term subsidies were needed to give both customers and contractors certainty for planning.