Energy Efficiency – the first fuel for the EU Economy

This report has been prepared by the Energy Efficiency Financial Institutions Group (EFFIG) for the European Commission, addressing energy efficiency investments and their drivers and trends, for buildings, industry and SMEs in the European Union.

Energy efficiency investments are strategically important for the European Union, since they are the most cost effective manner to reduce the EU’s reliance, and expenditure, on energy imports costing over €400 billion a year.

This final report develops and summarises the actions and recommendations for policy makers and markets participants by sector. Specifically for the building sector, these recommendations are the following:

To policy makers:

• Existing buildings regulations should be fully implemented, harmonised and consistently enforced across EU Member States
• Future regulatory pathways for EU buildings should provide concerted and consistent regulatory pressure to improve the energy efficiency of buildings
• High quality decisions and low transaction costs can only be delivered by easily accessible data and standard procedures
• Reporting, accounting and procurement procedures must facilitate, and not hinder, appropriate energy efficiency investments in public buildings
• The “at-scale” energy efficiency upgrade of residential buildings can only happen with a concerted address of the specific investment demand and supply drivers of this segment, as well as with the engagement and alignment of retail distribution channels
• The targeted address of energy efficiency investment supply and technical assistance through the smart deployment of European Structural and Investment Funds 2014-2020 and Horizon 2020 into risk sharing mechanisms and project development assistance, working with partners with a successful track-record

To markets participants:

• Engage key decision makers (owners and managers) with a clear business case that raises their awareness of the multiple benefits of buildings’ energy efficiency renovations with evidence
• Facilitate the access of the right decision makers to the right data
• Improve the processes and standards for buildings labels, Energy Performance Certificates and energy codes
• Develope standards for each element in the energy efficiency investment process
• Leverage of private sector finance through optimal use of European Structural and Investment Funds and Member States funds

To download the report, please visit the relevant European Commission website

Published on Build Up: source