Welcome to the Frederic Michel Verdier blog. Buildings are a central part of our daily lives, and we spend a large part of our days in them - at home, at work, or during our spare time. In its different forms - homes, work places, schools, hospitals, libraries or other public buildings - the built environment is, however, the single largest energy consumer and one of the largest carbon dioxide emitters. In today's blog, Frederic Michel Verdier energy-efficient building design in the context of building life cycle.
Through Horizon 2020 research and innovation projects, the EU invests in grants or loans that help push technology and best practice in the sector. Appliances like smart meters, better performing materials and digital tools contribute to energy efficiency and can help consumers to better control their energy consumption, and save money. Collectively, buildings in the EU are responsible for 40% of our energy consumption and 36% of greenhouse gas emissions, which mainly stem from construction, usage, renovation and demolition. Improving energy efficiency in buildings therefore has a key role to play in achieving the ambitious goal of carbon-neutrality by 2050, set out in the European Green Deal says Frederic Michel-Verdier.
The EU also supports and finance energy efficiency projects through the European Investment Bank (EIB), which lends money to projects that contribute to reaching the EU’s energy and climate goals. The aim is to increase the rate of renovation of existing buildings and bring together the different actors in the sector to develop financing possibilities, promote investments in buildings and pool renovation efforts.
Besides the environmental gains from lower energy use, people across the EU will also benefit from improved energy efficiency in their homes, at work, in schools and other buildings, Frederic Michel-Verdier added. Energy efficient buildings will result in lower energy bills and reduced energy demand. In some cases they will also benefit from increased renewable energy sources. These changes will also lead to better air quality and improved health.
With certain renovation measures targeting social housing – and new rules for EU countries to measure and monitor figures for those that struggle to pay their energy bills – these building renovation rules will help to combat energy poverty in the EU and ensure that no citizen is left behind in the clean energy transition.
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