{"id":29369,"date":"2021-03-12T16:53:51","date_gmt":"2021-03-12T16:53:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsblogsnew.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=29369"},"modified":"2021-03-12T16:53:51","modified_gmt":"2021-03-12T16:53:51","slug":"a-renovation-wave-for-eu-building-stock-to-help-pave-the-way-for-a-decarbonised-and-clean-energy-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=29369","title":{"rendered":"A renovation wave for EU building stock to help pave the way for a decarbonised and clean energy system"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"EU<\/a>The European Commission has highlighted how a refurbished and improved building stock in the EU will help pave the way for a decarbonised and clean energy system, as the building sector is one of the largest energy consumers in Europe and is responsible for more than one third of the EU’s emissions.<\/h3>\n

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\u2026 given the labour-intensive nature of the building sector\u2026. renovations of buildings also plays a crucial role\u2026<\/span><\/em><\/h2>\n

\u2026 discussions will cover concrete legislative and non-legislative measures and enabling tools\u2026<\/span><\/em><\/h2>\n

The European Commission writes:<\/p>\n

A refurbished and improved building stock in the EU will help pave the way for a decarbonised and clean energy system, as the building sector is one of the largest energy consumers in Europe and is responsible for more than one third of the EU’s emissions.\u00a0But only 1% of buildings undergo energy efficient renovation every year, so effective action is crucial to making Europe climate-neutral by 2050. Currently, roughly 75% of the building stock is energy inefficient, yet almost 85-95% of today\u2019s buildings will still be in use in 2050.<\/p>\n

Renovation of both public and private buildings is an essential measure in this context, and has been singled out in the\u00a0European Green Deal<\/a>\u00a0as a key\u00a0initiative to drive energy efficiency in the sector and deliver on objectives.<\/p>\n

Given the labour-intensive nature of the building sector, which is largely dominated by local businesses, renovations of buildings also plays a crucial role in the European recovery of the COVID-19 pandemic. To kick-start the recovery, the Commission has identified doubling the renovation rate in its dedicated recovery plan.<\/p>\n

A renovation wave for Europe<\/h2>\n

To pursue this ambition of energy gains and economic growth, the Commission published on 14 October 2020 a new strategy to boost renovation called “A Renovation Wave for Europe \u2013 Greening our buildings, creating jobs, improving lives<\/a>” (COM(2020)662). It aims to double annual energy renovation rates in the next ten years. These renovations will enhance the quality of life for people living in and using the buildings, reduce Europe\u2019s greenhouse gas emissions, and create up to 160,000 additional green jobs in the construction sector.<\/p>\n

With nearly 34 million Europeans unable to afford keeping their home adequately heated, renovation is also an important response to energy poverty. It can address the health and wellbeing of vulnerable people while\u00a0reducing\u00a0their energy bills, as outlined in\u00a0the\u00a0Commission Recommendation on Energy Poverty<\/a>\u00a0((EU) 2020\/1563), which was published as part of the Renovation wave strategy.<\/p>\n

In parallel to the strategy, the Commission adopted new rules for the smart readiness of buildings (C(2020)6929-6930).\u00a0Specifically, the smart readiness indicator aims to promote digitally friendly renovations, integrate renewable energy and enable measurements of actual energy consumption.<\/p>\n

The Commission launched, at the same time as the Renovation wave strategy, the initiative on the\u00a0New European Bauhaus<\/a>.\u00a0The initiative is both a network and a contact point at the crossroads between culture, social inclusion, science and technology. The New European Bauhaus unfolds in 3\u00a0phases: Co-design, Delivery and Dissemination. The design phase was launched on\u00a018 January 2021<\/a>\u00a0and will lead to the opening of calls for proposals later in 2021 to bring New European Bauhaus ideas to life in at least 5 places in EU countries, through the use of EU funds at national and regional level.<\/p>\n

The renovation wave initiative will build on measures agreed under the Clean energy for all Europeans package, notably the requirement for each EU country to publish a\u00a0long-term building renovation strategy<\/a>\u00a0(LTRS), other aspects of the amending Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings\u00a0((EU) 2018\/844), and building-related aspects of each EU country’s\u00a0national energy and climate plans<\/a>\u00a0(NECP).<\/p>\n

Process and next steps<\/h2>\n