Beyond the corona darkness: Bringing light, air and sustainability into people’s homes

(EurActiv, 25 Mar 2020) The European Green Deal must be central to the recovery programme needed to transition out of the crisis caused by COVID-19, writes Oliver Rapf. And the European Commission’s upcoming building renovation wave should be at the centre of it, he argues.

Oliver Rapf is executive director at the Building Performance Institute Europe (BPIE), a not-for-profit think tank supporting evidence-based policy making in the field of energy performance in buildings.

As Europeans are forced to stay home for weeks to come, they are experiencing their homes in a much-intensified way. The psychological impacts of the confinement will be experienced by everyone. Many will suffer not only because of a lack of face-to-face and close interaction with friends, families and colleagues, but also because their homes are not supporting them with a healthy and comfortable environment.

Europe and the world are going through the deepest crisis since World War II, and the economic impacts will be felt for years, if not decades. Policymakers and Central Bankers are taking decisions which were unthinkable a month or two ago to stabilise the situation.

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EurActiv, 25 Mar 2020: Beyond the corona darkness: Bringing light, air and sustainability into people’s homes