Reducing energy demand in existing buildings: benchmarking tool for best practice renovation policies

Panel: 2. Energy efficiency policies – how do we get it right?

This is a peer-reviewed paper.

Authors:
Sophie Shnapp,
, France

Abstract

Globally, by 2050, energy consumption in buildings can be reduced by 30% relative to today’s levels. Realising this potential needs the development of a range of ambitious, complementary and sustainable energy renovation policies. The aim of this project was to support the up scaling of deep renovation across the residential building stock, by defining a state-of-the-art policy package and analysing best practice policies in consideration of this definition. State of the art was defined by identifying the key policy elements that ensure buildings are renovated deeply.

Six key themes were identified as intrinsic to a state-of-the-art policy package: regulatory normative measures, building assessment, financial instruments, economic instruments, capacity building and overall performance indicators.

This project sought to learn from current best practice renovation policies in the EU and U.S. All of the selected jurisdictions were assessed against the same criteria. The chosen jurisdictions are Denmark, California, France, Germany, Massachusetts, the Netherlands, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Vermont.

The results of this study and the comparison of the best practice policy packages are presented as an online policy interactive comparison tool. The tool allows the user to develop their own analysis by selecting the criteria that are of interest to them. Policy packages can be compared using a single criterion or using multiple criteria. The tool allows the user to compare policy packages based on different criteria by selecting and deselecting criteria in the interactive tool area, generate graphs based on time series data for energy performance in the respective countries/regions; and access detailed information about each of the policy packages.

The tool’s purpose is to strengthen today’s renovation policy packages and encourage the adoption and implementation of state of the art policy packages around the world.