Glass for Europe is calling on the EU to prioritize energy savings in buildings by setting up a sectorial energy saving target for the build environment, which accounts for the biggest share of the EU overall energy consumption and offers the single most important potential to realize massive energy savings.
In its response to a European Commission’s public consultation on progress towards the 2020 energy efficiency objective and a 2030 energy efficiency policy framework, Glass for Europe calls on the EU to prioritize energy savings in buildings by setting up a sectorial energy saving target for the build environment by 2030.
“At a time when EU Head of States and Governments are concerned about the economic and geostrategic consequences of the Union’s energy dependency, saving the huge amounts of energy needlessly wasted in inefficient buildings must be given priority,” says Bertrand Cazes, Secretary General of Glass for Europe.
The build environment accounts for the biggest share of the EU overall energy consumption and offers the single most important potential to realize massive energy savings and thus to reduce Europe’s addiction to costly energy imports. Improvements to the thermal performance of building envelopes are the first cost-effective step to making buildings energy efficient and will support economic activity and jobs while helping to decarbonise Europe’s economy.
“Due to the length of investment cycles and the building industry’s fragmentation, market actors and investors need long-term visibility and regulatory certainty. This is precisely why a target is so important in this sector,” added Bertrand Cazes. Alongside a target, an ambitious revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (2010/31/EU) will be necessary to realize energy savings.
In its response to the consultation, Glass for Europe also supports the establishment of global energy efficiency targets to fill the gap of the weak EC proposal for a 2030 energy and climate framework.