Watch Renovate Europe Day 2026 again
The recording covers the full conference in Dublin, from the welcome addresses to the closing remarks.
Renovate Europe EPBD Tracker
Launched at Renovate Europe Day 2026
How is each EU country putting the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive into practice? The tracker follows all 27, from building data and renovation plans to standards, financing and skills.
Renovation and Regeneration at Scale: delivering affordable buildings without compromise
Renovate Europe Day 2026 took place on 5 November in Dublin, at Tom Johnson House, the seat of the Irish Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, and online.
This year, Renovate Europe Day was co-organised with our National Partner, the Irish Green Building Council (IGBC), and in collaboration with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).
The event was recognised as an Associated Event of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2026.
Participants heard from European Union representatives, industry leaders and other key stakeholders about energy renovation, and took part in networking and visits to renovation projects.
The programme included:
- High-level EU and Irish perspectives on the priorities for accelerating building renovation
- Approaches to scaling up building renovation, with practical examples from national and local authorities
- A dedicated session on accelerating the renovation of all educational buildings in the EU
- Discussion on how better building-stock data, national observatories and cooperation can support higher renovation rates
- Site visits to Ellis Court and Tom Johnson House, showcasing real renovation projects
The day before: a roundtable on financing home renovation
On 4 November, Renovate Europe, Climate Strategy & Partners and the Irish Green Building Council held a high-level roundtable in Dublin on financing residential energy renovation and the proposed European Renovation Loan.
Agenda
Morning
09:00
Registration, welcome coffee, networking
09:30
Welcome addresses by the organisers
- Adrian Joyce, Director of the Renovate Europe Campaign
- Ali Grehan, Chair, Irish Green Building Council
- William Walsh, CEO, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI)
09:45
Keynote addresses
- Brian Carroll, Assistant Secretary General, Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment
- Donna Gartland, CEO of CODEMA (Dublin Energy Agency)
10:10
Short presentation of Renovate Europe’s EPBD Implementation Tracker
Romane Faure, Project and Policy Officer, Efficient Buildings Europe
10:20
Session 1: Delivering Energy Renovation at Scale
Marion Jammet (moderator), Director of Policy & Advocacy, IGBC
- Robert Nuij, Head of Unit B3, Buildings and Products (DG ENER)
- Jennifer O’Donnell, co-founder of O’Donnell Brown: the Scottish experience
- Tom Gilligan, Director of Services, Mayo County Council
- Susan Vickers, Head of Environmental Sustainability, Clúid Housing / Chair, Healthy Homes Ireland
- Kieran Holohan, Managing Director for Ireland, Saint-Gobain
Panel discussion with Q&A (10 minutes)
11:15
Keynote address
Alan Dillon TD, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment
11:25
Coffee break
11:55
Better Housing, Better Living: Turning Renovation Ambition into Reality
Fleming Voetmann, Vice President for Public Affairs and Product Regulatory Affairs at VELUX
12:05
Session 2: Renovate all Educational Buildings by 2035!
Adrian Joyce (moderator), Director of the Renovate Europe Campaign
- Petra van Haren, Director of European School Heads Association
- Sophie Breton, President, Professional Business Unit Europe, Signify
- John Dolan, Manager, Planning and Building Unit, Department of Education
Case studies:
- Pathfinder Programme (Ireland): Sarah Kelly, KOBW Architects, Cork case study
- Croatian communications campaign on renovating educational buildings: Andelka Toto Ormuz, HUPFAS
Panel discussion with Q&A (10 minutes)
13:00
Networking lunch
Afternoon
14:00
Session 3: From Data to Delivery: Scaling Energy Renovation Rates in the EU
Ciaran Byrne (moderator), Director of National Retrofit at SEAI
- Marcella Maher Keogh, Director and Project Manager, Carrig Energy Consultancy
- Ciara Ahern, Project Lead, Irish Building Stock Observatory
- Niall O’Connor, Managing Director for Kingspan Insulation, Ireland
- Orla Coyle, Director, Head of Energy & Sustainability, Savills
Panel discussion with Q&A (10 minutes)
14:50
Closing remarks
Mechthild Wörsdörfer, Deputy Director General, DG Energy, European Commission
15:05
Presentation of projects to be visited
- Tom Johnson House: Kevin Dooney, Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment
- Ellis Court: Tiarnan Spain, Tuath Housing
15:15
Departure for site visits
Tom Johnson House: headquarters of the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment. Whole-building renovation of an office into a government building. The tour was led by Kevin Dooney of the Department.
Ellis Court: the tour was led by Marie McNamara, Head of Construction, and John Campbell of Coady Architects. A resident of Ellis Court was present. A 45-minute session with tea and coffee and a tour of an exhibition on arrival, then a visit of one renovated town house (with the resident) and one of the apartments.
Networking reception
17:00–19:00
Networking reception
Adrian Joyce, Director of the Renovate Europe Campaign
Alex White, Chair of the Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC), delivered a closing address on climate resilience and the role of the buildings sector.