Procedure

The application period for the BER noise abatement programme expired on 4 November 2025. Applications that were not fully submitted by this deadline can no longer be considered.

Once the application has been submitted, an engineering firm commissioned by FBB will arrange an appointment with the owners for a structural survey of the property. Based on the survey, the engineering firm calculates the necessary noise protection measures and the costs incurred.
 

Noise insulation-related market value assessment

The engineering firm’s calculation may show that a noise insulation-related market value assessment (SVWE) is necessary. This is the case if the cost of the sound insulation measures could be more than 30 per cent of the noise insulation-related market value of the property. If an SVWE is necessary, FBB shall inform the owners. If the cost of the noise protection measures actually exceeds 30 per cent of the noise protection-related market value, the owners are entitled to a pure compensation payment in the same amount instead of noise protection measures.

Noise insulation-related market value assessment

The owners receive the outcome of the engineering firm’s calculations in the form of an individual entitlement assessment (ASE). FBB sends the corresponding documents to the owners. The determination of entitlement then also shows whether or not the owners can commission noise protection measures or receive financial compensation.

3.1 Determination of entitlement for structural implementation (ASE-B)

Owners receive an ASE-B if they are entitled to reimbursement for sound insulation measures, i.e. if sound insulation can be implemented in the building.

Part of the ASE-B is an acoustic property assessment (STOB) and a bill of quantities (LV) for the structural measures. By way of these the engineering firm make available the results of the inventory, the calculation as well as the required sound insulation measures and the resulting costs.

The implementation of the noise protection measures is then in the hands of the owners because they themselves decide on the construction company they wish to commission.

3.2 Determining the entitlement to compensation (ASE-E)

Owners receive an ASE-E if the cost of the noise protection measures are more than 30 per cent of the noise protection-related market value of the property or if sufficient noise protection is not technically possible.

In such a case, FBB shall disburse financial compensation and requires the duplicate completed by the owners with account details and signature.

FBB also recommends using the compensation that is disbursed to implement structural noise protection. Free advice is available in that regard, for which owners can register via the noise protection hotline.

Dialogue

As soon as the owners have received the ASE-B, they can commission one or more construction companies of their choice to adopt the noise abatement measures. FBB shall reimburse the costs set out in the ASE-B as soon as the noise protection measures have been adopted.

Once the noise protection measures have been adopted, they must be accepted by the owners in dealings with the construction company. FBB recommends inviting the responsible engineering firm to this meeting. This enables the engineering office to conduct the utilisation of funds inspection at the same time as accepting the construction work. In that respect, the engineering office will check whether the required noise protection measures or components have been used as specified in the ASE-B. This is a prerequisite for reimbursement of costs.

Once the owners have accepted the construction measures, the construction company issues the invoice. The owners forward the original invoice to the responsible engineering office. Once the engineering office has confirmed the realisation of the measures and reviewed the invoice, FBB transfers the reviewed amount to the owners’ account.
 

Assignment agreement

An assignment agreement is also possible in the BER noise protection programme. FBB then pays the audited invoice amount directly to the construction company. However, owners should note that even in the case of an assignment agreement, FBB shall only reimburse the maximum costs of the necessary noise abatement measures specified in the ASE-B as eligible for reimbursement. This includes noise protection measures that are listed in the ASE-B or explicitly approved by FBB in an addendum. FBB shall not, in particular, reimburse additional costs resulting from contracts awarded by the construction company to third parties or from price increases due to the economic situation, which arise because the noise protection measures are not implemented promptly. To avoid having to bear the cost the construction realisation yourself, owners should, therefore, ensure, even in the case of assignment, that they only commission the noise protection measures that are explicitly stated in the ASE-B or are approved by FBB in an addendum.

By way of the amount transferred by FBB, the owners pay the construction company’s invoice without using their own funds. This procedure has been agreed with all construction companies on the noise protection list of the Contract Advisory Centre.