Florida community reaches LEED Zero

In an article on the Washington Post website, Nicolás Rivero discusses the world’s first LEED Zero Energy certified residential development in Hunter’s Point, Florida where every house produces more electricity than it uses. Why people don’t have to pay anything for electricity in this Florida community In this Florida development, no one pays an … Continue reading Florida community reaches LEED Zero →

Reaction to the European Council and Parliament reaching a deal on the proposal to revise the energy performance of buildings directive

The European Council and the European Parliament this week reached provisional political agreement on a proposal to revise the energy performance of buildings directive. The revised directive sets new and more ambitious energy performance requirements for new and renovated buildings in the EU and encourages member states to renovate their building stock. Under the deal, … Continue reading Reaction to the European Council and Parliament reaching a deal on the proposal to revise the energy performance of buildings directive →

New publication – EU Buildings Climate Tracker: A call for faster and bolder action

Buildings represent a significant potential for GHG emissions mitigation and the EU has many policies in place to help promote the improved energy performance of buildings. The policy foundation is the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive that is currently being revised. In fact the next negotiations (the trialogue) between the European Council, European Parliament and … Continue reading New publication – EU Buildings Climate Tracker: A call for faster and bolder action →

Emerging markets will need $1.5 trillion in investment before 2035 to make new and existing buildings environmentally friendly and avoid a jump in climate-damaging emissions

Tommy Wilkes and Simon Jessop write on the Reuter’s website that emerging markets will need $1.5 trillion in investment before 2035 to avoid a jump in climate-damaging emissions. China alone would need $1.33 trillion. The funds would be used for investments in electrification of older inefficient buildings with cleaner energy, and the construction of energy-efficient … Continue reading Emerging markets will need $1.5 trillion in investment before 2035 to make new and existing buildings environmentally friendly and avoid a jump in climate-damaging emissions →

The benefits of sustainable housing

Andréanne Doyon, Assistant professor, School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University and Trivess Moore, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management at RMIT University provide a very good review in an article on The Conversation website about the range of benefits of sustainable housing. How sustainable, liveable and resilient housing … Continue reading The benefits of sustainable housing →

Why you should be doing an energy renovation of your home

Teresa Siqueira writes on the Porch website about the many benefits from renovating your home. Porch sprang to life in 2013 to tackle the age-old problem of connecting homeowners with high-quality home improvement professionals. While it is based in Seattle, there are lessons for all of us. Renovation Strategies for Long-Term Value: Investments That … Continue reading Why you should be doing an energy renovation of your home →

Yes, there are ways to help renters improve the energy performance of their homes, so why aren’t they implemented?

Andrew Warren, Chairman of the British Energy Efficiency Federation, writes in the September issue of Energy in Buildings & Industry about an important energy efficiency initiative in Britain that is agonisingly slow to get off the ground. An initiative to improve the energy efficiency of Britain’s rented homes, begun 12 years ago, shows no sign … Continue reading Yes, there are ways to help renters improve the energy performance of their homes, so why aren’t they implemented? →

New app developed in Romania helps users lower the cost of their energy bills and manage energy consumption

It is encouraging to see a new startup in Romania not only developing the app but planning to market it internationally. An English language version of the app should be available later this year. Simona Fodor discusses the startup and its new app in an article on the Romania Insider website. Romanian startup develops … Continue reading New app developed in Romania helps users lower the cost of their energy bills and manage energy consumption →

The need for addressing embodied carbon in our buildings

An efficient EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive must look out for the reduction of ‘whole life carbon emissions’ in order to achieve Europe’s climate goals, writes Zsolt Toth from BPIE in an article on the EURACTIV website. Just published is a PhD thesis by Jane Anderson on on 'Reducing Embodied Carbon in the Built … Continue reading The need for addressing embodied carbon in our buildings →

New Joint Research Centre report on role of heat pumps in our energy transition

Replacing about a third of EU’s 86 million residential fossil fuel boilers with heat pumps could cut those households’ final energy consumption by 36% and their CO2 emissions by 28%. Heating of buildings accounts for almost 40% of final energy consumption and 36% of energy-related GHG emissions in the EU. Within these, residential buildings account … Continue reading New Joint Research Centre report on role of heat pumps in our energy transition →