Europe needs a “renovation revolution” to meet Paris Agreement

The World Green Building Council is urging governments, businesses, consumer groups and NGOs across Europe to come together to create ambitious plans for how their countries will cut emissions from existing buildings. Countries must work together in order to meet the Paris Agreement and halt global temperature rises as the countdown to an EU deadline for the plans fast approaches.

From Saturday April 30 this week, EU Member States will have just one year to submit so-called “national renovation strategies” – detailed plans on how they will renovate their nation’s homes and commercial buildings to high standards of energy efficiency.

Existing buildings currently account for 36 per cent of the EU’s total carbon emissions and ensuring they are as energy efficient as possible will be key to help meet the Paris Agreement, and the region’s goals under the EU’s ‘Energy Union’.

Last month, 13 Green Building Councils (GBCs) across Europe officially launched Build Upon, the world’s largest collaborative project on building renovation. The project aims to create a renovation revolution across Europe, by establishing renovation strategies that involve and align the thousands of actors and existing initiatives tackling building renovation in the region.

James Drinkwater, Director of the World GBC’s Europe Regional Network, said: “Emissions from existing buildings are one of the biggest climate challenges facing Europe and curbing them will be absolutely critical if we are to meet the ambition of the Paris Agreement.

“Europe is doing a huge amount on energy efficient renovation, but it’s not adding up to the results we need because of a lack of coordination. This is where the Build Upon project can help.

Build Upon has begun convening a major policy dialogue process with over 1,000 organisations, from governments and local authorities, construction companies and product manufacturers, to energy providers and banks, who will join forces to tackle this issue.

On September 20, a coalition of over 200 building renovation leaders from across Europe will meet in Madrid, Spain, to agree a long-term vision for deep building renovation and the practical measures needed to achieve it.

The EU’s Energy Efficiency Directive requires Member States to submit long-term strategies to mobilise investment in renovating existing residential and commercial properties, but to date, the full investment potential is far from being realised.

Investor groups have called for clearer long-term renovation targets as policy-makers in Brussels debate revisions to the EU’s main climate and buildings laws, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and Energy Efficiency Directive.

Patty Fong, Programme Director of the Energy Efficiency Programme at the European Climate Foundation and a Build Upon board member, said: “What we really need is political and industry leadership with a long-term vision for the deep renovation of our building stock so we’re able to meet our collective climate targets, and strong national renovation strategies have a clear role to play in this – which is why our network is partnering with Build Upon.”

Major players such as banks are also interested in the development of strong strategies to provide the strengthened policy needed to help support the growing market for energy efficiency.

Luca Bertalot, Secretary General of the European Mortgage Federation – European Covered Bond Council (EMF-ECBC) and a Build Upon board member, added: “We strongly believe that the banking industry has a role to play in improving the quality and energy performance of housing so as to free-up disposable income and, in parallel, reduce credit risk for borrowers, lenders and investors.

“A pan-European initiative in this area will help to coordinate market interventions, which will reduce the public resources necessary to boost households’ energy savings. That is why the EMF-ECBC is cooperating with Build Upon.”

To find out more about Build Upon and GCBs visit buildupon.eu.