Page 29 - European Energy Innovation - spring 2019 publication

Spring 2019 European Energy Innovation 29

BUILDINGS ENERGY EFFICIENCY

It is now very clearly accepted that Member States adopt and implement works that are undertaken on the
it is better, more cost-effective and a national renovation strategy that buildings.
more responsible to first reduce the will transform their buildings to a
demand of a sector, before exploring nearly-zero energy stock by 2050. It Knowing that all the products,
ways of supplying the sector with puts the ball firmly in the court of technologies and services that we
sustainable, decarbonised supply. national governments and I trust that need to achieve this huge societal
This is because, the lower the energy they will seize the day and implement task are already on the market, leaves
demand that must be supplied, highly ambitious strategies that will me optimistic that we can achieve
the broader the range of suitable lead to a rapid acceleration in both our goals. However, revisions to the
sustainable sources that become the rate of renovation activity and the long-term strategy of the EU towards
available. However, this relationship depth of ambition for each renovation a climate-neutral economy in which
where energy efficiency measures project. the central role of buildings is better
and renewable energy supply included and fully modelled, will be
are harmoniously and optimally The Member States should not necessary. I look to the European
integrated, does not emerge from the shirk from their responsibility to Parliament and to the Member States
Communication and this is a point of plan this transformation correctly, to ensure that when the choice of
great regret. despite the challenge that this task which pathway to follow is made that
presents them. They will find that the essential corrections that I have
Across the EU we are witnessing a as the quality of buildings improves, referred to in this article are made
collective realisation that the negative large individual and societal benefits before the final decision is taken.
effects of climate change are no such as higher employment, greater
longer a distant threat. They are general levels of health and higher In this context, not tackling buildings
with us today as witnessed by the public finances will flow from the first is just too risky. l
heatwave of 2018 and the incredibly
long mild spell that most of the About EuroACE
EU experienced in February 2019.
In many countries we see school EuroACE represents Europe’s leading companies involved with the
children skipping school to regularly manufacture, distribution and installation of energy saving goods and
protest at our level of inaction and services for buildings. EuroACE members employ over 286,000 people in
our immaturity in the face of the these activities in Europe and have around 1,200 production facilities and
gravest crisis that has ever befallen office locations. The mission of EuroACE is to work together with the EU
the human race. institutions to help Europe move towards a more efficient use of energy
in buildings, thereby contributing to Europe’s commitments on climate
The protests resonate very well with change, energy security and economic growth.
the scientific warnings included in
the IPCC 1.5° Report that states we EuroACE Members (March 2019) are:
have no more than 12 years to take
action to avert catastrophic impacts
on our world from the effects of
climate change. This clear and vivid
scientific message coupled with a
disenchanted but ready-to-act youth
shows that we must take action and
that we must take it now. In fact, the
ground swell of opinion among out
youth shows that we have societal
permission to act.

For the buildings sector, the right
EU-level legislative framework is in
place as the revisions to the Energy
Performance of Buildings Directive
(EPBD) and the Energy Efficiency
Directive (EED) have been agreed and
published. The EPBD requires that all

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