On 12th March, the Renovate Europe Campaign published its European Elections Manifesto calling on candidate MEPs to sign a Pledge to “STOP Energy Waste in Buildings”.

The Campaign will undertake 3 Days of Action in the European Parliament on 1st, 2nd, 3rd April 2014 in Brussels. “Stopping energy waste in buildings is becoming a top priority for citizens, as households face increasingly high energy bills”, explained MEP Fiona Hall (UK, ALDE), an early supporter of the Manifesto. “This is a real opportunity for candidate MEPs to address their national constituencies on a topic that really speaks to them and affects them on a daily basis, and where they understand that the EU plays a fundamental role.” MEP Anne Delvaux (BE, EPP), another early supporter of the Renovate Europe Manifesto and CoRapporteur of the EP’s Report on the 2030 Energy and Climate Framework, emphasised the strong rationale of signing such a pledge: “In the European elections, voters will look for candidates to fight for solutions that boost jobs and growth in the immediate future, but that also fit into a long-term strategy to achieve a competitive sustainable low-carbon economy in the EU. Pledging to STOP Energy Waste in Buildings makes clear political sense”.

32 partners drawn from across the construction value chain have gathered behind the Renovate Europe Manifesto for the 2014 European Elections. “This is a cross-sectoral, cross-national, cross-party call to action”, explained Adrian Joyce, Director of Renovate Europe, “Stopping energy waste in buildings delivers numerous multiple benefits, for the economy, for businesses, for the environment and for citizens’ wellbeing and quality of life and therefore defies the traditional party-lines, sectoral groups and national borders.” Renovate Europe is working in close cooperation with its national Supporting Partners to maximise the impact of this Manifesto at the national and local level in the run-up to the elections in May. The REC Manifesto is translated into French, Italian, Spanish, Polish and Greek, and includes National Inserts explaining the national relevance for Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Poland, the UK and the Czech Republic.

Renovate Europe is working in close cooperation with its national Supporting Partners to maximise the impact of this Manifesto at the national and local level in the run-up to the elections in May. The REC Manifesto is translated into French, Italian, Spanish, Polish and Greek, and includes National Inserts explaining the national relevance for Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Poland, the UK and the Czech Republic.

Renovate Europe Campaign in coordination with the National Contact Points across Europe is asking both from MEPs and candidate MEPs to support the campaign and to commit that they will put deep energy retrofits among their priorities.

• Download the Renovate Europe Campaign (Greek).
• Renovate Europe Manifesto Signatories

Alice Corovessi, Secretary of BoD had an interesting discussion with Nikos Andritsos (SKAI 100,3 Radio) regarding INZEB’s activities, Renovate Europe Campaign and the benefits of deep energy retrofits.

You may listen to the interview here [1:19]

The letter referring to European Energy Security Strategy – Renovation of buildings is the solution was sent to the Head of State on 23 September 2014. The letter was signed by representatives of leading industries. All signatories believe that increased energy security cannot be achieved without a substantial focus and effort in the field of energy efficiency in buildings and they are highly concerned that the Member States seem set to adopt a Climate and Energy Package that ignores this potential. INZEB was among the signatories.

The letter sent to the Head of State can be downloaded here.

New Commission must prioritize building renovation: Renovate Europe Day shows buildings crucial for energy security, jobs, climate, and growth.  

At Renovate Europe’s fourth Annual High-Level Conference, held in Brussels on 5th November, the message to the new Commission who took office this week was clear: Deep Renovation of the building stock in the EU must be the number 1 priority of the Juncker Commission. Fresh reports presented at REDay2014 demonstrated the newly researched multiple benefits of building renovations (IEA Report ‘Capturing the Multiple Benefits of Energy Efficiency’) as well as the significant economic impact of the buildings sector in the EU (JRC Report on the Economic Impact of the Construction Sector). Not only are the economics right. Experience shows an even greater success and appetite for doing more. City representatives and project leaders in Sweden, the

At Renovate Europe’s fourth Annual High-Level Conference, held in Brussels on 5th November, the message to the new Commission who took office this week was clear: Deep Renovation of the building stock in the EU must be the number 1 priority of the Juncker Commission. Fresh reports presented at REDay2014 demonstrated the newly researched multiple benefits of building renovations (IEA Report ‘Capturing the Multiple Benefits of Energy Efficiency’) as well as the significant economic impact of the buildings sector in the EU (JRC Report on the Economic Impact of the Construction Sector). Not only are the economics right. Experience shows an even greater success and appetite for doing more. City representatives and project leaders in Sweden, the Netherlands, and Italy provided evidence at REDay2014 of successful renovation projects which are financially viable and produce local jobs, reduced energy demand and healthier homes. “Individual renovation projects have shown over and over that it is possible to reduce the energy demand in buildings by more than 80 % in a cost-effective manner,” explained Adrian Joyce, Renovate Europe Campaign Director. “Now we need to focus our attention on how to upscale ambitious energy renovation of the existing building stock and for this, we need a political drive.”

Unfortunately, National Governments have chosen NOT to maximize on the huge energy savings and economic opportunities in the building sector. As explained by Oliver Rapf from BPIE, Member States have failed to implement ambitious Renovation Roadmaps (Article 4 of the EED), and to develop strong collaborative platforms to address renovation, thereby failing to provide the holistic vision and market certainty needed to unlock investment. Despite the significant contribution that buildings can make towards reducing energy imports, a clear strategy to tackle energy waste in buildings is also absent from both the 2030 Energy & Climate Package, and the European Energy Security Strategy. In the October Council conclusions, Member States committed to address priority sectors in which significant energy efficiency gains can be reaped. “At the last European Council, EU Heads of State provided a clear mandate for the Commission to take policy action in those sectors with the greatest potential for energy savings, Member States” said Jan te Bos, Director General of Eurima, Gold Sponsor of REDay2014. “Today’s conference once again demonstrates that buildings must be first in line, and those ambitious policies for the deep renovation of our building stock will –in addition- deliver more jobs, more comfort, more energy security, less energy poverty and less C02 emissions. We count on the new Commission to acknowledge this reality and take up the challenge with immediate, ambitious policy proposals on buildings”. In tackling buildings as the key priority sector, the Cothe Member Stateswould benefit from the support of 80 MEPs from across the political spectrum who have already signed the The Renovate Europe Campaign is an initiative of EuroACE, the European Alliance of Companies for Energy Efficiency in Buildings. Its headline ambition is to reduce the energy demand of the EU building stock by 80% by 2050 as compared to 2005 levels www.renovate-europe.eu Renovate Europe Manifesto to STOP Energy waste in buildings.

The Greek version of the Press Release, as issued upon the completion of Renovate Europe Days 2014.

On June 1st, 23 MEPs have signed a letter regarding the EPBD revision which must include a long-term vision for the EU building stock to achieve NZEB levels by 2050.  All MEPs who have signed the letter are supporters of the Renovate Europe Campaign.

Download the letter: MEP Letter to Com Canete on Renovation and EPBD

You may also read the translation of the letter in the Greek language here.

INZEB – Institute of Zero Energy Buildings started its operation in January 2014. From the first year of its activity, it represents the Renovate Greece Campaign as the National Supporting Partner, having participated, organized and presented various activities all over Greece.  After three years of constructive cooperation with the Renovate Europe Campaign team, both at central level (EU) and in cooperation with other countries that support and represent the Campaign as National Partners, as a means of  communication and dissemination of the objectives and aims of the Renovate Europe, with emphasis in Greece, which is none other than to increase the proportion of energy retrofits of the existing building stock. This increase is possible by changing the legal framework and strengthening / widening financial tools.

Through Renovate Greece we will seek, in cooperation with all interested parties (Universities, Municipalities, Scientific Institutions and Chambers, Associations of Professionals and Companies), to achieve at a national level, the increase of the investments related to energy retrofits and to establish and achieve goals which are related to energy upgrade of the National – public and private – existing building stock. At the same time and through awareness actions, we focus on the minimization of the doubts that property owners have regarding the benefits of energy retrofits.