EuroACE and eceee applaud European Parliament’s committee vote on buildings efficiency.

(eceee news, 12 Oct 2017) European NGOs and efficiency stakeholders applaud the 11 October vote of the Industry, Transport and Research (ITRE) Committee of the European Parliament in favour of stronger European building regulations. The final report adopted significantly improves the Commission’s proposal and counterbalances the weak General Approach of the Energy Council, according to the NGOs.

The final report by the Rapporteur Bendt Bendtsen on the Energy Peformance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) proposes among other things the definition of national long-term renovation strategies and the promotion of Smart Buildings. The vore in favour of stronger regulations was overwhelming with 51 votes in favour, 1 against, and 11 abstentions.

Other positive elements are the creation of national structured stakeholder platforms, a boost for skills in the construction sector, more information and guidance for consumers (notably through Building Renovation Passports), and better access to financing. The report also gives a strong 2050 vision for the buildings sector to become highly energy efficient, nearly-zero energy and maximise renewable energy supply (nZEB concept). This safeguards the Energy Efficiency First principle, while respecting subsidiarity.

Nils Borg, Executive Director of eceee said: “While we have not had time to study all the details, the strong support for an increased ambition is encouraging. But we still have a long way to go until the Directive is adopted and much can happen on the way.”

Commenting on the vote, Monica Frassoni, President of the European Alliance to Save Energy (EU-ASE), said “We are pleased with the vote today. MEPs have raised the level of ambition of this important Directive. (...) The EPBD voted today set a reliable and coherent framework to attract investments in the building sector”.

“The positive vote of today is encouraging”, EU ASE commented, “because it shows endorsement of energy efficiency policies and indicates that policy makers are in the process of fully understand the incredibly important role in the EU’s transition to a cleaner, healthier, more affordable energy system”.

EuroACE also warmly welcomed the adoption of the Bendtsen Report on the EPBD with a plain “Good news!”.  According to EuroACE, the Parliament now takes a strong stance on building renovation and energy efficiency, ahead of talks with the Council.

 “The Parliament, especially the Rapporteur Bendt Bendtsen and the Shadow Rapporteurs, have done a great job improving the Commission proposal on the EPBD”, commented Adrian Joyce, Secretary General of EuroACE, the European Alliance of Companies for Energy Efficiency in Buildings. “We are very happy to see that so many MEPs backed the excellent work done by Rapporteur Bendt Bendtsen, which shows the broad support from Parliament for a strengthened EPBD”, he added.

See also:

eceee ”steering through the maze guide” on Energy Efficiency in the European Commission’s Clean Energy Package

eceee press release 25 September 2017: EPBD must focus on reducing energy needs and avoid double-counting of renewables

EU ASE press release

EuroACE press release

Buildings law gets preliminary stamp of approval from European Parliament

EuroACE and eceee applaud European Parliament's committee vote on buildings efficiency