Strong message to give priority to reducing energy consumption

Martin Rossen, former Chief of staff at the Danish Prime Minister’s Office and now Senior Vice President, Head of Global Communication and Sustainability at Danfoss A/S provides a strong argument on the Politics.co.uk website that decision makers somehow forgot that the greenest energy is the energy we don’t use. He argues that energy efficiency is … Continue reading Strong message to give priority to reducing energy consumption →

Better energy efficiency is not a key issue for the large majority of home buyers in UK

With increasing energy prices, awareness of climate risks and better understanding of the many benefits of better energy performance, for the majority of buyers in Britain, better energy efficiency is not a key issue. A news item in the Estate Agent Today website discusses the findings. Is this true in your country? Energy Efficiency … Continue reading Better energy efficiency is not a key issue for the large majority of home buyers in UK →

The environmental impact of construction

The world's cities are growing — and the billions who inhabit them need places to live and work. But how does all that construction affect the planet? Martin Kuebler discusses the environmental impact of construction in an article on the Deutsche Welle website. Building: What's the big deal for the environment? Ear-splitting jackhammers and whining saws, unexpected delays and clouds … Continue reading The environmental impact of construction →

What does it take to improve the energy performance of Britain’s homes?

When I worked at the International Energy Agency in the 1980s, we were discussing how Britain had to give more attention to improving the energy performance of its building stock, given how poor quality they were overall. In 1990, the then Department of Environment even published an excellent report of a survey on “Attitudes to … Continue reading What does it take to improve the energy performance of Britain’s homes? →

Recent Chinese study suggests that there may be clues to changes in past weather conditions in buildings

The study from researchers at Nanjing University in China provides an eloquent reminder of how natural variation in the weather has been an influence on architecture throughout history, often as much as changing styles and tastes. Florian Urban, Professor of Architectural History, Glasgow School of Art, reviews the results of the study in an article … Continue reading Recent Chinese study suggests that there may be clues to changes in past weather conditions in buildings →

New JRC report on progress of member states in implementing the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive

With a new draft proposal for revising the EPBD coming soon, it is timely that the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre has published Progress of the Member States in implementing the Energy Performance of Building Directive. Overall, the EPBD policy framework laid down the foundation for: i) setting cost-optimal minimum energy performance standards in new … Continue reading New JRC report on progress of member states in implementing the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive →

While the decarbonisation challenges for buildings are significant, so are the opportunities

There are four crucial trends driving zero carbon buildings: decarbonisation, electrification, efficiency and digitalisation. Efficient, zero carbon buildings take advantage of available, cost-effective technology to reduce emissions while increasing health, equity and economic prosperity in local communities, thus presenting many opportunities. Clay Nesler, Global Lead, Buildings and Energy at the World Resources Institute; Khee Poh … Continue reading While the decarbonisation challenges for buildings are significant, so are the opportunities →

UNECE helps Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and the Republic of Moldova scale up cost-effective climate action by improving buildings’ energy efficiency

Improving energy efficiency is a cost-effective means to support economic development while contributing to climate action. On a national scale, energy efficiency helps strengthen energy security, reduce energy expenditure, slow down energy demand growth, reduce investment needs for new generation capacities, and creates green jobs. Out of all sectors of economic activity, in many countries, the buildings sector has the largest potential for cost-effective improvement in energy efficiency and emissions reductions. To help capitalise … Continue reading UNECE helps Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and the Republic of Moldova scale up cost-effective climate action by improving buildings’ energy efficiency →

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 →

New report from BPIE flags ‘make-or-break’ opportunity for climate-neutral buildings in Europe

The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) is the next of the EU’s energy efficiency directives to be revised this year as part of the European Green Deal, the “Fit for 55” package and the Renovation Wave initiative. The new report, The make or break decade: Making the EPBD fit for 2030, from the Buildings Performance Institute … Continue reading New report from BPIE flags ‘make-or-break’ opportunity for climate-neutral buildings in Europe →