Category: buildings

Let’s talk about renovation strategies

The Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE), the state of Baden-Württemberg and the German Institute for Energy and Environment (IFEU) are organising an event dedicated to renovation strategies on May 16th While the deadline for European member states to present their national renovation strategy to the Commission has just past on April 30, this event will … Continue reading Let’s talk about renovation strategies →

What they are saying

This week there was an open letter to UK Prime Minister David Cameron over changes to energy efficiency schemes, urging him to rethink planned changes to the ‘green levies’ deal. Dear Prime Minister, As an alliance of organisations concerned with improving energy efficiency through the refurbishment of Britain’s homes, we are writing to express our … Continue reading What they are saying →

Let there be light . . . when we need it

Paul Attfield writes in Canada’s Globe and Mail about the use of motion sensors to help address improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings.   Last person out, the building will turn off the lights Though provincial incentives to reward energy efficiency may give commercial landlords a financial impetus, many find it is also a … Continue reading Let there be light . . . when we need it →

Finland reprimanded over failure to implement EPBD

The popular opinion is that Finland is amongst the best EU member states for giving a priority to energy efficiency. Finnbay reports that the European Commission has referred Finland to the Court of Justice because of its failure to implement aspects of the buildings directive related to energy performance certificates and nearly zero energy buildings. … Continue reading Finland reprimanded over failure to implement EPBD →

Companies can become zero energy

The Swedish furniture company has never had so much attention. Dominic Basulto, a futurist and blogger, writes in the Washington Post that all companies should pledge to be net zero energy by 2050, following the example of IKEA that has pledged to do so by 2020. With the eceee industrial summer study coming up in … Continue reading Companies can become zero energy →

Important new report on financing energy efficiency measures

Yamina Saheb of the EC’s Joint Research Centre provides details of the interim report of an important new group of a wide range of institutions that are working together to address the need to increase the scale of energy efficiency investments across the EU. The interim report covers the buildings sector. Energy Efficiency – the … Continue reading Important new report on financing energy efficiency measures →

Important new public finance initiative in UK

The website Building Better Healthcare reports on an important new financing deal to retrofit one of London’s classic hospitals. The deal could prove to be an important model for the future.   Landmark energy efficiency deal signed at St Bartholomew’s Hospital A new, low-carbon combined cooling, heating and power solution is being created for St … Continue reading Important new public finance initiative in UK →

New GBPN tool to promote deep renovations

The Global Buildings Performance Network (GBPN) is a globally organised and regionally focused organisation whose mission is to provide policy expertise and technical assistance to advance building energy performance and realise sustainable built environments for all. This week, the GBPN launched a new interactive Policy Tool for Renovation. The tool compares and analyses twelve best … Continue reading New GBPN tool to promote deep renovations →

Update on last week’s post on the need for more focus on implementation of the energy performance of buildings directive

There have been responses to the EiD discussion paper published last week, most of them directly by email.  The number of downloads of the report and the responses to the related tweets were most encouraging.  There is a great concern about implementation and many mention the number of infringement procedures underway that indicate the level … Continue reading Update on last week’s post on the need for more focus on implementation of the energy performance of buildings directive →