Hamburg - Ventilating a home was no problem in the past because even when windows were kept shut, there was a constant exchange of air through poorly insulated exterior walls, joints, and cracks.
This uncontrolled ventilation wasted a lot of energy, though, and made the home's occupants turn up the heat. To save energy, buildings in Germany have been better insulated and equipped with modern windows in recent years.
But the new, airtight windows with heat-insulating glazing have a negative side. "Unless ventilation methods are changed, air moisture caused by showering, cooking, and washing isn't drawn out of living quarters, kitchens, and bathrooms," noted Dirk Petersen, who works for Hamburg's consumer advice centre.
Hamburg - Bayer Leverkusen threw away a 3-0 lead in a 3-3 draw at SC Karlsruhe on Saturday as they failed to go top again in the Bundesliga standings.
Patrick Helmes, Stefan Kiessling and Michal Kadlec were on target in the opening 24 minutes for Leverkusen who appeared on course for a fifth straight victory.
But Karlsruhe rallied from Anthony da Silva, Tim Sebastian and Alexander Iashvili to earn a point after losing the previous five matches.
Hamburg - Bayer Leverkusen threw away a 3-0 lead in a 3-3 draw at SC Karlsruhe on Saturday and failed to go top again in the Bundesliga standings.
Patrick Helmes, Stefan Kiessling and Michael Kadlec were on target in the opening 24 minutes for Leverkusen, but Karlsruhe rallied from Anthony da Silva, Tim Sebastian and Alexander Iashvili.
Hamburg - Carmakers struggling to fund lease purchase sales may turn to a German government fund originally devised to bail out banks, according to a news report Saturday.
The financial services divisions of most automakers hold banking licences in Germany and could qualify for guarantees. Interest rates on those guarantees average about
2 per cent annually, which is significantly cheaper than commercial borrowing rates in the current credit crunch.
Hamburg - The Force India Formula One team announced Friday that it has brought to an early end its engine deal with Ferrari, opening the way for a possible switch to Mercedes for next season.
The team, which is controlled by Indian billionaire Vijay Mally and has Giancarlo Fisichella and Adrian Sutil as its drivers, had agreed a deal in 2007 to take Ferrari engines until the end of the 2009 season.
"Force India Formula One Team today announces it has ended its contract with Ferrari," the team said in a statement.