Date: 5 June 2014
This joint call comes at a critical time for the EU energy efficiency policy, with energy security concerns being high on the policy agenda and while the Commission reflects on the Union energy efficiency policy for 2030.According to all research, the renovation of buildings offers the highest cost-effective energy savings potential.As highlighted by Adrian Joyce, Campaign Director of Renovate Europe, “A real transformation has to happen in the sector to deliver savings and comfort to all EU citizens”.
Tapping into the potential of buildings requires an ambitious policy objective and robust policy instruments. A sectoral energy efficiency target will not only set a level of ambition, it will also provide the much needed long-term visibility and regulatory certainty for the construction industry to organize itself and deliver on the promise.
For these reasons, five major representative organizations of the building sector come together to highlight the need for a specific building target. “To ignite the building renovation market, a clear and unambiguous political signal should be sent to the building sector and its stakeholders” said Jan te Bos from Eurima. “This signal should be expressed in the form of a sectoral target that will ensure industry, professionals, owners and financing institutions of the EU commitment towards cutting energy consumption in the building sector”, he added.
In light of past experience where renovation policies have always underperformed, the five organizations believe that a breakthrough has to be stimulated at EU level to deliver massive investments and savings in the sector. “Hammering out in official communications and speeches that buildings have a high potential for energy savings without taking concrete action to enable the sector to contribute fully to the EU goals would be terribly misguiding”, said Bertrand Cazes, from Glass for Europe. “A sectoral target for buildings is the only way forward to stimulate the necessary level of focus for renovation in the decades to come”, he added.
Read the letter here.
Contacts
Mr. Bertrand Cazes
Secretary General Glass for Europe
Tel: +32 (0)2 538 4377
Email: info@glassforeurope.com
Mr. Adrian Joyce
Secretary General EuroACE
Tel: +32 (0)2 639 1010
Email: adrian.joyce@euroace.org
Mr. Oliver Loebel
Secretary General PU Europe
Tel: +32 (0)2 676 7271
Email: loebel@pu-europe.com
Mr. Jan te Bos
Director General Eurima
Tel: +32 (0)2 626 2090
Email: jan.tebos@eurima.org
Eurima is the European Insulation Manufacturers Association and represents the interests of all major mineral wool insulation producers throughout Europe. Eurima members employ directly over 20,000 people across Europe, with the installation of insulation products accounting for an estimated additional 300,000 man-years annually.
The European Alliance of Companies for Energy Efficiency in Buildings (EuroACE) represents Europe's leading companies involved with the manufacture, distribution and installation of energy savings goods and services for buildings. With a total turnover of 140 billion euros and employing 328,000 people, the EuroACE mission is to help Europe move towards a more sustainable pattern of energy use in buildings.
Glass for Europe is the trade association for Europe’s manufacturers of building, automotive and solar-energy glass, all derived from flat glass. Glass products not only provide light, comfort, style, security and safety, they are also essential to energy-efficient buildings, houses and transport. Glass for Europe represents five multinational companies accounting for nearly 90% of the EU’s flat glass production: AGC Glass Europe, NSG Group, Saint-Gobain Glass, Sisecam and Guardian.
PU-Europe is the European association representing the rigid polyurethane insulation industry. Its products help to save energy in a wide variety of applications in buildings, district heating, cooling and refrigeration, and industrial systems. PU-Europe members have a total turnover of Euro 4 billion and provide 18,000 jobs. The Renovate Europe Campaign (REC), launched in 2011 is an initiative of EuroACE, the European Alliance of Companies for Energy Efficiency in Buildings. It is the only EU-wide campaign that focusses exclusively on ambitious renovation of the building stock in the EU and is the voice that ‘bangs the drum’ for energy efficient renovations, taking a technology neutral, integrated and holistic approach to energy efficient renovations.
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