Letter to Mr Barroso, President of the European Commission

Dear President Barroso,

Re: Adequate framework to tap into the cost-effective energy savings potential of buildings

Our organisations, which together represent the main European providers of energy efficiency materials, solutions and services in buildings, welcome the European Commission’s efforts to define new energy efficiency ambitions to complement the January proposal for a 2030 energy and climate framework. For the business actors that our associations represent, it is encouraging to see that the European Commission is now considering establishing a binding energy efficiency target for 2030 and that it has identified buildings as one of the sectors where massive energy savings can be captured in the realisation of this target.

According to all research, the renovation of buildings in the EU offers the largest single potential for cost-effective energy savings in short-, medium- and long-term timescales, providing substantial multiple benefits such as job creation and energy security. For the EU to capture this full potential, our industry needs to receive a clear signal that large-scale energy savings will be sought in a long-term perspective. This signal must be unambiguous to avoid short-term sub-optimal solutions being applied that lock-in a large part of the savings potential, thus significantly reducing overall savings.

In this context, the nature and level of energy efficiency targets the European Commission will propose for 2030 will be instrumental.

Our associations urge the European Commission to design targets in a way that reflects the building sector’s contribution in full, following a bottom-up assessment of the real cost-effective energy savings potential in the sector. It is essential that the level of the target is in line with the identified cost- effective energy savings for 2030 so as to put Europe on track to realise its 2050 objectives.

Our associations therefore call on the European Commission to ensure that its target proposal includes a specific signal to the building and construction materials industries for the needed mobilisation and long-term planning and investment in this fragmented sector to happen. In our view, the most effective signal should take the form of a sectoral target for buildings as a complement to overall energy efficiency ambitions. Such a target will give credibility to the stated political objectives of the European Commission and is essential to equip stakeholders with the necessary tool to prioritise the realisation of our full savings potential.

The proper formulation of energy efficiency targets for 2030 is of crucial importance, hence our desire to avoid the pitfalls of having only an overall general target that would fail to address the full potential

of the buildings sector. Such a situation will promote “business-as-usual” and thus send the wrong signal to our industry. We therefore count on your willingness to prioritise the buildings sector to set the right framework conditions for a mobilised construction industry to deliver on the promise of massive energy savings.

Yours sincerely,

Bertrand Cazes

Secretary General

Glass for Europe

 Susanne Dyrboel

President

EuroACE

 Adrian Joyce

Campaign Director

Renovate Europe
Oliver Loebel

Managing Director

PU Europe

 Jan te Bos Director General

EURIMA

 

Recipients:

College of Commissioners

European Commission Secretary-General, Catherine Day

DG Energy Director General, Dominique Ristori

 

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by renoadmin

European Parliament stands strong on Energy Efficiency: Over 100 MEPs pledge to STOP Energy Waste in Buildings in their 2014-2019 mandate

The Renovate Europe Manifesto for the 2014 Elections has received over 100 signatures from sitting and candidate MEPs, who have pledged to keep Energy Efficiency in Buildings high on the political agenda if re-elected in the next legislative term. Among these signatures are MEPs from 19 different European countries, from all 5 main European political parties as well as 5 EP Vice-Presidents.

“Having over 100 MEPs sign the Renovate Europe Manifesto, more precisely the pledge it contains, indicates that the prospective incoming MEPs are keen for the EP to maintain its supportive role in favour of Energy Efficiency in Buildings”, explained Adrian Joyce, RE Campaign Director. “The 2009-2014 EP demonstrated leadership on the issue by calling for a reduction of the energy demand of the EU’s buildings stock by 80% by 2050 in two of its reports (2030 Policy Framework for Climate and Energy and the 2050 Energy Roadmap). At a time when citizens are looking for sustainable long-term solutions with tangible benefits for the economy, I am pleased to see that the incoming EP will work to STOP Energy Waste in Buildings”.

Reducing the energy demand of the EU building stock provides an affordable and long-term solution to rising energy prices and energy dependence and has the potential to create millions of local, non-exportable jobs, in addition to providing an economic boost to the depressed construction sector and SMEs across the EU.

The Renovate Europe Manifesto urges MEPs to undertake the following actions if elected for the next mandate:

  • Urge their National government to implement an ambitious national renovation strategy
  • Hold the relevant commissioners and commission service to account on the importance of taking action for Buildings renovation.
  • Establish continuous dialogue with and support for local authorities in their efforts to Renovate the EU building stock
  • Recall that Energy Efficiency buildings renovation requires high prioritisation at political and legislative levels
  • Help to disseminate success stories about ambitious Energy Renovations

Renovate Europe held 3 Days of Actions at the European Parliament in Brussels on 1st, 2nd and 3rd April, and is supported by National Partners in Member States also garnering support and raising awareness around the multiple benefits of Energy Efficiency in Buildings.

Buildings are responsible for about 40% of energy use (more than transport or industry) and about 36% of carbon emissions.

by renoadmin

Brussels launch of the UNEP FI and EEFIG reports

REPORTS

Please direct your comments about the EEFIG report to:
ENER-feedback-eefig-report@ec.europa.eu

PRESENTATIONS

PROGRAMME AND BIOGRAPHIES

by renoadmin

Nasce Renovate Europe, il manifesto contro gli sprechi energetici degli edifici

by renoadmin

Letters addressed to the Heads of State ahead of the EU Summit March 2014

European Summit Meeting, 20th and 21st March 2014:

ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN THE EU 2030 CLIMATE AND ENERGY POLICY

Read the letter sent to YOUR Head of State:

by renoadmin

Renovate Europe calls on future MEPS to "STOP Energy Waste in Buildings"

On 12th March, the Renovate Europe Campaign published its European Elections Manifesto calling on candidate MEPs to sign a Pledge to “STOP Energy Waste in Buildings”. The Campaign will undertake 3 Days of Action in the European Parliament on 1st, 2nd, 3rd April 2014 in Brussels.

“Stopping energy waste in buildings is becoming a top priority for citizens, as households face increasingly high energy bills”, explained MEP Fiona Hall (UK, ALDE), an early supporter of the Manifesto. “This is a real opportunity for candidate MEPs to address their national constituencies on a topic that really speaks to them and affects them on a daily basis, and where they understand that the EU plays a fundamental role.”

MEP Anne Delvaux (BE, EPP), another early supporter of the Renovate Europe Manifesto and CoRapporteur of the EP’s Report on the 2030 Energy and Climate Framework, emphasised the strong rationale of signing such a pledge: “In the European elections, voters will look for candidates to fight for solutions that boost jobs and growth in the immediate future, but that also fit into a long-term strategy to achieve a competitive sustainable low-carbon economy in the EU. Pledging to STOP Energy Waste in Buildings makes clear political sense”.

32 partners drawn from across the construction value chain have gathered behind the Renovate Europe Manifesto for the 2014 European Elections.

“This is a cross-sectoral, cross-national, cross-party call to action”, explained Adrian Joyce, Director of Renovate Europe, “Stopping energy waste in buildings delivers numerous multiple benefits, for the economy, for businesses, for the environment and for citizens’ wellbeing and quality of life and therefore defies the traditional party-lines, sectoral groups and national borders.”

Renovate Europe is working in close cooperation with its national Supporting Partners to maximise the impact of this Manifesto at the national and local level in the run-up to the elections in May. The REC Manifesto is translated into French, Italian, Spanish, Polish and Greek, and includes National Inserts explaining the national relevance for Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Poland, the UK and the Czech Republic.

Renovate Europe will be holding 3 Days of Action in the European Parliament on 1-2-3 April in Brussels for MEPs to sign the Pledge.

by renoadmin