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.
The European Union is currently revamping its green buildings law. Ahead of finals talks on the proposal, EURACTIV interviewed Ciarán Cuffe, a Green MEP who will represent the European Parliament in negotiations with the other EU institutions.
The European Commission has proposed wide-ranging legislation aimed at cutting emissions from road transport across the EU. But the various taxes embedded in the proposals run the risk of exacerbating inequality if not implemented properly, warns MEP Petar Vitanov.
Lack of trust and information about energy performance contracts are the most frequently cited reasons why some municipalities have become sceptical about energy service companies (ESCOs). In the future, greater standardisation should help overcome issues, says Nick Keegan.
To succeed in renovating the European building stock by 2050, all the governance levels need to be involved, from local to national, French MP Marjolaine Meynier-Millefert told EURACTIV, adding that people who cannot afford the costs of renovation must not be left behind.
At the Healthy Buildings Day (HBD) in Brussels last week (26 September), academic experts painted a vivid picture of how the edifices we spend our days in shape our lives and the planet itself.
The energy performance contract model can turn energy efficiency renovation of buildings into a truly popular policy objective among politicians in Central and Eastern Europe because it can be done without any use of public money and has no impact on public debt, says Ivan Lesay.
There are many creative ways to finance small-scale energy efficiency projects such as building renovations, but they need to be discussed more at the European Commission level, and defined more precisely, Jessica Stromback told EURACTIV Czech Republic.
I do not exclude the 40% energy efficiency target on condition that all three stages of the energy flow are included, Adam Gierek told EURACTIV Czech Republic.
Renovating Europe's building stock isn't just critical for meeting EU climate and energy savings targets – it will dramatically improve living conditions and health while boosting the overall economy, according to the three MEPs leading the European Parliament's work on the Energy performance of buildings directive.
Ambitious European Union targets to boost energy efficiency can unlock much-needed private investment, Peter Sweatman told EURACTIV.com. But the current targets are not high enough, said the rapporteur on the Energy Efficiency Financial Institutions Group (EFFIG).
Local and regional authorities are stepping up their efforts to fight climate change, but limited access to finance often holds them back, Philippe Orliange told Cécile Barbière from EURACTIV France.
SPECIAL REPORT / Construction will be an essential part of the transition to a circular economy, and can also drive growth, the European Union's Environment Commissioner has said.
SPECIAL REPORT / The recognition in the Energy Union of the importance of improving energy efficiency in the EU's building stock is welcome. But unless existing measures are properly implemented by national governments, the multiple benefits of renovation will not be exploited to the full, Céline Carré told EURACTIV.
It’s time for policymakers at both the national and European level to incentivise the renovation of homes, Ingrid Reumert said in an interview with EURACTIV.
The EU is unlikely to meet its target of reducing energy consumption by 20% by 2020, but the decreasing cost of renewables means that an EU-wide approach to its funding could be envisaged, says Marie Donnelly, director of energy efficiency and renewable energy at the European Commission.
