Good EPC ratings have little impact on house prices in Britain

Rozi Jones writes on the Financial Reporter website that analysis from Nationwide shows limited impact on house prices of improvements in energy performance of buildings. There is a 1.7% house price premium for an owner-occupier property with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of A or B, compared to a D-rated home, according to data … Continue reading Good EPC ratings have little impact on house prices in Britain →

EBRD advances first loan to support renovation of residential multi-apartment buildings in Lithuania

Addressing a core issue in the effort to improve the use of energy in Lithuania, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is lending €67.5 million to support an innovative scheme to scale up renovation of residential multi-apartment buildings – its largest direct investment in renovating privately owned buildings in the country, according to … Continue reading EBRD advances first loan to support renovation of residential multi-apartment buildings in Lithuania →

Wide disparity of national nZEB standards undermines EU climate goals, finds BPIE

A new assessment of national nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEBs) standards, released this week by the Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE), finds a wide degree of disparity in how these are implemented across the EU-27, highlighting a misalignment with EU climate targets. Since the beginning of 2021, all new buildings constructed in the EU must be nZEBs, … Continue reading Wide disparity of national nZEB standards undermines EU climate goals, finds BPIE →

More than half the Netherlands’ four million home owners are not yet taking steps to make their homes more energy efficient

A news item on the Dutch News website discusses the problems in getting homeowners to take action to make their homes more energy efficient. Are you finding the same problems in your country? More than half of home owners are not boosting energy efficiency More than half the Netherlands’ four million home owners are … Continue reading More than half the Netherlands’ four million home owners are not yet taking steps to make their homes more energy efficient →

Efforts underway in Germany to increase the demand for energy-efficient buildings

Alice Boldis and Christian Lütkehaus write on the Pinsent Mason website about recent developments in Germany that should increase the demand for more energy-efficient buildings. What are your views? New carbon price makes energy efficiency in the German building sector even more important Heating oil will soon become more expensive for consumers in Germany … Continue reading Efforts underway in Germany to increase the demand for energy-efficient buildings →

35 million time bomb: what’s up with the EU Renovation Wave?

I feel like a broken record. Every time I’m with a group related to energy and climate, the discussion obviously gets to meeting our long-term objectives. That is quite understandable. But while we discuss where we want to go in general terms we are much more uncomfortable talking about how to get there. For example, … Continue reading 35 million time bomb: what’s up with the EU Renovation Wave? →

The road to climate-neutrality: Are EU national long-term renovation strategies fit for 2050?

With the EU Renovation Wave and European Green Deal, every effort by all member states is so crucial to achieve the long-term climate and energy objectives. This report by BPIE makes one wonder how serious we really are in achieving our long-term goals. Will this be a wake-up call? Hopefully, but it’s not obvious. … Continue reading The road to climate-neutrality: Are EU national long-term renovation strategies fit for 2050? →

Retrofitting buildings starts with what you already have

A good article on the Propmodo website provides a good message about our climate goals and buildings. It says we cannot build our way to meet our sustainability goals. It goes on that there is a growing number of tools to help refurbish and renew existing buildings and cities are paying attention to this. What … Continue reading Retrofitting buildings starts with what you already have →

Britain’s energy transition: creating jobs requires effective policies to promote energy efficiency

The potential for jobs creation in energy efficiency is immense. But this will only be realised if it is matched by government enthusiasm behind effective policies. Andrew Warren, chairman of the British Energy Efficiency Federation, discusses the situation in Britain in the January issue of Energy in Buildings & Industry. Jabs and jobs go … Continue reading Britain’s energy transition: creating jobs requires effective policies to promote energy efficiency →

Calls to overhaul the Energy Performance Certificate system in UK underpinning the ratings amid mounting evidence that they are inaccurate

Energy performance certificates (EPCs) were introduced in 2007. Yet in a report last month the Climate Change Committee gave warning that the certificates had “extensive issues” and that there was an urgent need to make them fit for purpose. Emily Gosden discusses the problem in an article on The Times website. Energy certificate ‘flaws’ … Continue reading Calls to overhaul the Energy Performance Certificate system in UK underpinning the ratings amid mounting evidence that they are inaccurate →