The cities of Amsterdam, Stockholm and Nantes offer good examples of how meaningful progress towards decarbonising the building sector can be achieved, while advancing the EU's broader climate objectives, writes Irene García.
The US and Saudi Arabia have reduced investment in oil and gas supply, putting consuming countries in front of their responsibilities by forcing them to act and deliver on their COP28 pledges, writes Thierry Bros.
At COP28, international leaders once again fell short of embracing energy efficiency targets, representing perhaps the biggest missed opportunity of the decade. Meet energy efficiency, the magical millions of hard-to-grasp levers that allow us to do more while consuming less energy. …
Lack of finance remains the most frequently reported reason why building owners don’t upgrade their homes to a more energy-efficient one. Peter Sweatman lists five “hidden gems” in the recast EU Buildings Directive which can deliver this.
The thinking around energy efficiency is still stuck in the fossil fuel era, says Sofie Irgens. We must move on from focusing on fuel economy and ramp up discussions on electrification, flexibility and reducing demand, she argues.
New data shows the urgency to renovate buildings across Europe, writes Oliver Rapf.
The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) provides an essential gateway for citizen participation in the energy system, bringing cheaper bills to low-income households through old-fashioned energy efficiency, writes Louise Sunderland.
A reform of the European electricity market is needed to give small consumers access to continuous, more affordable energy that is as carbon-free as possible. The introduction, for example, of a mechanism that removes from the mix carbon-free power plants that are too costly, will help reduce prices for customers, writes Thierry Bros.
The expansion of Russian oil and gas, especially in Asian markets, has helped Russia keep its political standing on the global stage - but G20 countries have the antidote by centring on energy efficiency, writes Oleksandr Butenko.
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.
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 European Commission’s energy system modelling will not produce accurate calculations about the EU’s climate future until it receives the update it needs, writes Niels Fuglsang.
The world will simply have no chance of reaching the necessary climate goals if we do not get annual energy efficiency improvements up to approximately 4%, write Dan Jørgensen and Kim Fausing.
As EU member states prepare to submit their revised National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) to the European Commission on 30 June, they must pay greater attention to energy efficiency, writes Monica Frassoni.
The climate crisis is real, and simply hoping that EU citizens will voluntarily change their ways enough to create the necessary change is idealistic at best. European politicians are coming around to the idea of a more rigorously planned approach, so-called state 'planification'.
With Russian gas supplies gone, the energy deficit facing Europe is likely to get worse. Yet, focusing on increasing energy supply while neglecting the need to reduce demand is an asymmetrical strategy, writes Rasmus Abildgaard Kristensen.
Buildings account for a large share of EU energy consumption. To reduce energy demand and increase efficiency, cities need dedicated funding and support for local initiatives and households, writes André Sobczak.
EU policymakers should deliver a comprehensive whole-life carbon roadmap in the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. A strong stance on whole-life carbon impacts would have the power to nudge national governments and industry towards decisive climate action, writes Zsolt Toth.
A 14.5% energy efficiency target for 2030 would deliver significant economic, social and environmental benefits, according to recent research, writes Arianna Vitali Roscini.
On clean energy, the stars are aligning - we can now supply affordable solar and wind energy technology at scale, writes Maria Mendiluce. But barriers remain, preventing businesses from moving away from fossil fuels forever, she warns.
As the impending energy crisis threatens to permanently alter our home habits, APPLiA has gathered the best energy-saving tips from leading home appliance manufacturers to encourage small, effective changes to the way we use our appliances. The purpose? Spelt out in the name of the campaign, #killURbill.
Applying AI to energy efficiency techniques can deliver results quickly. One opportunity for Europe this winter is to better leverage the smart meters installed around the region with connected mobile applications that allow end-users to understand and manage their real time energy usage, write David Wallerstein and Philippe Benoit.
Today, the pressing question everyone is asking is: how can we make it through the next winter and how can we reduce quickly energy prices? But the real question should be: how can we make it through the next four-five winters and burning summers, and at the same time accelerate carbon emissions reduction.
The climate policies of European government tend to focus on changing how our energy is generated, for example by building new wind turbines or solar farms. However, fixing the energy and climate crises must also go hand in hand with reducing the amount of energy and resources we actually use, writes Sebastian Mang.
