The Energy Efficient Buildings event hosted by MEP Maria da Graça Carvalho, Member of the Industry, Research and Energy Committee (ITRE), together with the Energy Efficiency Buildings Association (E2BA) at the European Parliament in Brussels on April 23 brought together for the second time on the stage three Directorates-General of the European Commission, DG Research and Innovation, DG Connect and DG Energy. A strong participation of large industry, SMEs, academia, research centers, Regions representatives and a vast range of stakeholders in the construction sector showed how the subjects is of high importance in Europe’s agenda.

The new Research and Innovation Roadmap “Towards the creation of a high-tech building industry.
Turning energy efficiency into a sustainable business”, setting up the priorities in the built environment for the period 2014-2020, was presented by Stefano Carosio, responsible R&D for D’Appolonia (Rina Group) and Co-chairman of the Ad-hoc Industrial Advisory Group of the EeB PPP.
Develop, integrate, demonstrate and validate breakthrough technologies along three multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral research and demonstration lines are the specific objectives of the Roadmap to create impact, in line with Horizon 2020.

Four success stories out of more than 100 projects supported by the European Commission in ICT, Energy, Environment and NMP domains were presented by Luc Bourdeau, ENBRI Vice-President and Secretary General of E2BA. Starting from a Building Renovation Concepts which goes beyond a 75% reduction in space heat energy demand and Cultural Heritage Solutions with a potential of 180 MT CO2 reduction, moving to Design and Management Tools and the Integration at District Level with development of new products and solutions.

The relevance of addressing Energy efficient Buildings and the role of the PPP tool in Research and Innovation was further emphasized by short statements from the representatives of different services of the European Commission, namely Mr. Von Bose, EC Director of Industrial Technologies, Mr. Timmers, EC Director of Sustainable and Secure Society, Mr. Hodson, Head of Unit of Energy Efficiency, and Mr. Tilche, Acting Director of Climate change and natural hazards. The PPP tool is also strongly supported by MEP Carvalho who considers PPPs as a very useful instrument that allows boosting innovation and research at European level through the crucial involvement of key stakeholders.

Positive interventions on how the research and innovation potential of a high-tech building industry will help to accelerate the development of the economy in Europe were made during the open debate from participants across the European Parliament, the European Commission, businesses and Regions representatives.
“Innovation has to be taken into Europe’s built environment, including cultural heritage, in order to boost market uptake, engaging consumers and encouraging SMEs to a business to market”, said MEP Carvalho in her closing remarks.

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For more information, please contact:
Luc Bourdeau, E2BA Secretary General, or Silvia Zinetti, E2BA Communication Officer
E-mail: secretariat@e2b-ei.eu or silvia.zinetti@e2b-ei.eu
Tel: 02 4001068 468