Energy efficiency in buildings: time to act!

The European building sector is responsible for approximately one third of all energy consumption. A majority of this is used for heating and warm water but the proliferation of cooling systems and the constantly increasing use of electrical appliances constitute additional challenges. Furthermore, the use of floor-space per person is still increasing, both for office buildings and private housing. As a result of the recent energy price scare and in conjunction with economic stimulus packages following the financial crisis politicians are currently seeking concepts and strategies for investing in energy efficiency in the building sector.

EU-funded research on this subject shows that technological developments are so advanced that virtually any type of new building can be constructed to meet the highest energy efficiency standards and most existing buildings can easily be retrofitted to reduce energy consumption by 50% and more. The ECO-BUILD project, co-ordinated by the ICCR in Vienna, has studied a range of good practice examples and put forward a number of policy recommendations to assist European and national authorities in drafting new energy efficiency strategies. During the upcoming year, the project will analyze the effectiveness of various policy measures. The first project report and the related policy recommendations are available for download from www.ecobuild-project.org