The final round of negotiations around the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) have yielded a considerably weakened piece of legislation. The crucial role that energy efficiency in buildings represents in terms of job creation, reducing Europe’s crippling dependence on foreign oil imports and achieving the EU’s 2020 climate protection goals has  been acknowledged, however,  through the inclusion of national long-term strategies.

Together with the incentive to consolidate financing & technical facilities for energy efficiency, these long-term strategies place the EU capitals in the driving seat to develop a coordinated vision on how to unlock investments in building renovation, thereby providing the sector with the necessary long-term perspective which will encourage investment in energy efficiency measures. These roadmaps will take account of specific national conditions and will provide impetus for all actors including industry, financial institutions, real estate, architects, workers and installers to work to significantly reduce the energy demand in the EU building stock, potentially by up to 80% by 2050 using all technologies currently available.

“EuroACE welcomes this move, which should enable Member States to seize the huge potential of savings offered by their existing building stock. Indeed, if Member States get this right, they have the opportunity to cut the energy demand of the EU existing building stock by 80% by 2050, freeing up large amounts of energy and, in turn, money. This surely is an opportunity no-one wants to miss, and EuroACE stands ready to assist Member States with its expertise to ensure they don’t – helping on  the implementation of the EED and the national strategies that ensue from it”, explains Adrian Joyce, EuroACE Secretary General.

“However, given that the proposed measures in the finalized EED are predicted to miss the 20% energy savings target by around 94 Mtoe, there is increased pressure now on Member States to step up to their commitments not only on the EED, but also on the complementary Energy Performance of Buildings Directive”, added Adrian Joyce.

With the adoption of this new directive, the responsibility now lies on the Member States to blend all the elements provided in the EED, including those on public building renovations and energy savings obligations, into a coherent vision and workable national Roadmap in order to release the huge potential locked up in the EU’s existing building stock.

The Renovate Europe Campaign, initiated by EuroACE last year, holds the goal of reducing the energy demand of the EU existing building stock by 80% by 2050 through extensive renovation programmes as its headline objective. Buildings represent 40% of all energy consumed in Europe, making the building sector the single largest consumer of energy ahead of transport and industry. 

Learn more about EuroACE (www.euroace.org) and join the Renovate Europe Campaign (www.renovate-europe.eu )

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