The European Commission identifies buildings in the EU as the primary energy consumer, accounting for 40% of our energy consumption and 36% of greenhouse gas emissions.
As member states prepare to ramp up the building renovation rate, there is an unprecedented opportunity to hardwire health aspects into the built environment. The brand-new edition of the Healthy Buildings Barometer maps why and how health, energy and climate …
Sports venues are notorious for their environmental impact. Issues with energy consumption, transport and waste management make these venues easy targets for individuals concerned about protecting the environment.
this pivotal moment for Ukraine’s economy, society and future prospects, multilateral donors and policymakers have a responsibility to ensure money flows towards building better than before. Investment criteria that prioritizes sustainability is not a box-ticking exercise: it’s about meeting people’s needs: for employment, independence, long-term security and resilience, and to restore hope and opportunity for the people of Ukraine.
Environmental groups were quick to criticise French government plans to cut the green transition budget by €1.4 billion, including for energy-efficient home renovations, while others called the move "pragmatic".
Negotiations on the EU's Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) are expected to conclude on Thursday evening (7 December), with EU countries set to dilute a proposed mandate to make renovations mandatory.
Efficient buildings save energy, money and climate-wrecking emissions. As EU negotiators prepare to hammer out an agreement on the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), it is important to highlight that significant innovation is underway in the sector, writes Adrian Joyce.
New data shows the urgency to renovate buildings across Europe, writes Oliver Rapf.
Deprived EU regions are looking at innovative solutions like crowdfunding and citizen-led energy communities to finance the transition to a net-zero economy.
Lawmakers made headway during a marathon negotiating session on Friday (13 October) to overhaul the EU’s buildings directive, but progress came at the cost of the proposal’s core mechanism to introduce mandatory renovation benchmarks.
Building renovations, like those encouraged under the draft Energy Performance of Buildings directive, are key to improving people's well-being and reducing emissions, but they must be flexible and rolled out with social safeguards, writes Ciarán Cuffe.
Germany’s two most influential business associations, BDEW and BDI, have launched a last-minute push in support of the EU buildings directive, in a bid to persuade lawmakers to adopt an ambitious stance on housing renovation.
To combat energy poverty, governments should direct funding to energy efficiency options and clean technologies that offer a structural solution to rising energy bills, rather than supporting fossil fuel heating, writes Vlasios Oikonomou.
The European Commission led by Ursula von der Leyen started its mandate on the good foot when it comes to energy efficiency policies. It must now think about its legacy and hold firm on the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), which is coming under attack from Eurosceptics in Italy and elsewhere, says Monica Frassoni.
German ministers have stepped up their criticism of proposed EU building regulations, as Housing Minister Klara Geywitz (SPD/S&D) made clear her opposition to mandatory renovations after Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP/Renew) made similar comments.
Faced with an energy crisis, Positive Energy Neighbourhoods (PENs) could become Europe’s solution for sustainable and energy-efficient urban spaces as it moves forward with the green transition, write Maarten De Groote and Gabi Kaiser.
A report published by the Fondation Abbé Pierre and the European federation working with the homeless highlights poor housing conditions in Europe and the threat they pose to the health and safety of those affected, including certain cancers.
The massive deployment of intermittent renewable energies is set to dramatically increase the need for flexibility in the electricity grid, and market players want increased focus on demand management as a source of grid optimisation.
Swiftly banning fluorinated gases (F-gases) will not only significantly curb the EU's climate impact, but also reduce its dependence on critical raw materials, and result in substantial savings for EU households, especially in the transition to decarbonised heating, writes Davide Sabbadin.
Electric vehicles are central to the energy transition as they can help integrate renewables and balance the electricity grid when demand is high. Yet, administrative complexities are holding up the deployment of charging points in buildings, writes Jayson Dong.
An efficient Energy Performance of Buildings Directive must look out for the reduction of ‘whole life carbon emissions’ in order to achieve Europe's climate goals, writes Zsolt Toth.
The European Union is nearing an agreement on upgrading the leakiest, most inefficient buildings. This is an apolitical issue that must be kept out of the damaging clutches of politicisation, writes Adrian Joyce.
The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive has the potential to make a real difference in the process of decarbonizing the building stock, as long as high standards for zero emissions and minimum energy performance are maintained, writes Oliver Rapf.
As final talks on the EU’s buildings directive kick off in Brussels, advocates of an ambitious reform are warning against a repeat of Germany’s boiler war that risks hindering ambitious climate action.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 893858.
