Brussels, 26th September 2011

Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe

European Commission Underestimates the Potential in the Buildings Sector

The European Commission adopted its long awaited Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe on the 20th September 2011. It rightly recognises that buildings have a significant role to play in bringing the EU to the point where economic growth is de-coupled from resource depletion, but its milestone of cost efficiently refurbishing the building stock at a rate of 2% per annum by 2020 falls well short of the level of ambition required.

EuroACE, the European Alliance of Companies for Energy Efficiency in Buildings, has been promoting the need for EU Policy to pay more attention to the huge potential locked up in existing buildings. In fact, many studies have shown that if the building stock in Europe were renovated to a high level of energy efficiency, we could cut primary energy consumption by 32%.

In this context EuroACE has initiated the Renovate Europe Campaign1 and it has identified the real level of ambition needed in relation to the deep energy renovation of existing buildings. In order to meet the projected level of carbon reduction in the EU by 2050, it is necessary to reduce the energy demand of the building stock by 80% as compared to 2005 levels. This will not be achieved by a 2% renovation rate as

proposed by the European Commission in its new Roadmap.

The required level of ambition is to raise the renovation rate to 3% by 2020 and to maintain that level of activity on a permanent basis.

Other significant advantages would arise from such a step. It would:

o Create up to 2 million new, local jobs for EU citizens

o Save the equivalent of 4 billion barrels of oil per year

o Reduce EU dependency on imported oil and gas from politically unstable regions

o Underwrite Europe’s leading position in energy efficient technologies and processes

o Increase the competitiveness of Europe’s industry

EuroACE calls on the European Commission to be more ambitious as the energy efficiency industries represented by EuroACE and participating in the Renovate Europe Campaign are ready to increase output in order to meet the higher rate of renovation, thus simulating a rapid, sustainable exit from the economic and financial crisis that is dogging the EU at the present time.

Ends

For further information contact:

Adrian M Joyce – Secretary General of EuroACE and Renovate Europe Campaign Director

Tel: +32 2 639 1010

E-mail: adrian.joyce@euroace.org

Note to Editors:

EuroACE, the European Alliance of Companies for Energy Efficiency in Buildings, is comprised of Europe’s leading companies involved with the manufacture, distribution and installation of energy saving goods and services. EuroACE members have a total turnover of 140 billion Euros and employ 172,000 people in Europe alone. The mission of EuroACE is to work together with the European institutions to help Europe move towards a more sustainable pattern of energy use in buildings, thereby contributing to Europe’s commitments on climate change, energy security and economic growth.

EuroACE members:

• Aereco

• Armacell International

• BASF

• Danfoss

• Honeywell

• Johnson Controls

• Kingspan Insulated Panels

• Knauf Insulation

• Paroc

• Philips Lighting

• Pilkington

• PU Europe

• Rockwool International

• Saint-Gobain Isover

• Solutia

• Somfy

• United Technologies

• URSA Insulation

• VELUX Group