Caroline Simpson

The revision of the EPBD must set the whole of the building stock in the EU on a clearly planned trajectory towards deep renovation if the EU is to meet its 2050 carbon neutrality goals.

That is why from the Renovate Europe Campaign we have considered our duty to use this period of feedback, opened by the European Commission, prior to the adoption of the directive to provide our comments.

Long-term planning towards deep renovation will guarantee that the building sector contributes its fair share towards the green transition, but it will also provide a sustainable solution to the rising energy price crisis, through a reduction of citizens’ energy needs, alongside multiple other benefits. In a time of high EU-wide public investment being channelled to energy renovation through the Recovery Funds but also potentially through the EU’s 2021-2027 MFF budget, the EPBD cannot fall short on its renovation goals.

Renovate Europe therefore raises the following concerns and proposes the following recommendations:

• Apply Energy Efficiency First to the ZEB definition
• Set deep renovation as the guiding principle of MEPS
• Follow a long-term plan to strengthen the scope of MEPS to the full building stock through National Building Renovation Plans (NBRPs) and Building Renovation Passports (BRPs)
• Better align EPCs for the deep renovation of the full building stock

Read REC’s full feedback here.

Welcome to the Renovate Europe Campaign’s newsletter which looks back on a quite busy year!

Highlights include the publication of the Renovate2Recover Study, which was undertaken by E3G with input from the Campaign’s National Partners. In addition, we celebrated this year the 10th anniversary of the Campaign during a social event together with friends and colleagues and organised on the same day the Renovate Europe Day 2021. REDay2021 was supported by 4 National Partner Events and one EU Supporting Partner Event. We have also issued a letter to the EU Energy Ministers as a response to the energy prices rises and been active advocating through our opeds (we published 6 this year!). Finally, we are delighted to welcome 5 new Partners!

Thank you to our 49 Partners and the buildings community at large for all the achievements this year, and we wish you a happy and peaceful holiday break!

Read the full Newsletter here.

Open Letter to Energy Ministers of the EU Member States

Subject:                 Energy Price Rises: Renovate Buildings to Protect Consumers

Dear Minister,

In the context of your meeting on the 26^th of October, you will be debating the “toolbox” of measures tabled by the European Commission to address the rising energy prices.  We call on you to prioritise building energy renovation to protect consumers.

The increased price per unit puts the spotlight once again on our vulnerability to high rates, and costs, of energy imports.  In 2015, the EU imported 53% of its energy needs and we highlighted at the time (see our video here) that this was costing the EU around €400 billion per year.  The situation has since degraded as the EU imported nearly 61% of its energy needs in 2019[1].  This dependence on imports must end or unpredictable price rises will occur again and again.

Buildings in the EU account for the largest share of final energy consumption, at a high of 40% of energy demand.  This is largely due to the poor energy performance of the building stock, with more than 97% below the A-level grading[2].

The truly sustainable answer to tackle rising energy prices and protect consumers is to cut our energy demand through deep energy renovation. Thanks to technologies readily available, it is possible to reduce the energy demand of the building stock in the EU by 80%, thus drastically reducing the amount of energy needed in each building (homes, offices, hospitals, public buildings etc.) to create comfortable and healthy indoor environments, and leading to a 30% reduction in total energy use in the EU.

Direct financial support to vulnerable households is only a stopgap solution.  The Commission acknowledged in its communication that Member States should “step up investments on energy efficiency and in buildings performance, which lowers energy consumption and energy costs and eases pressure on energy markets” as a medium-term measure to tackle energy prices.

More specifically, we call on you to take action to accelerate building energy renovation in two respects:

• Front-loading and prioritising the investments and reforms related to building renovation in the National Recovery Plans (see Study), in order to set a path that will benefit all, and in particular vulnerable consumers;
• Securing ambitious buildings elements in the Fit-for-55 package and in particular Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) in the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) as an indispensable driver to create visibility and future-proof our buildings.

A transformation of the building stock in the EU is urgently needed to achieve climate neutrality and protect consumers against variation in unit prices, thereby making comfortable, healthy indoor environments an affordable option for all.

Yours sincerely,

Adrian Joyce
Campaign Director

[1] See Eurostat article here
[2] See BPIE publication here.