Laying the bricks towards a decarbonised building sector
On Tuesday, the European Parliament voted through the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) laying yet another brick on the road towards achieving a fully decarbonised building stock by 2050. The vote contributes directly to the EU’s climate objective of reducing energy consumption and reaching emission reductions, requiring all new buildings to be zero-emission buildings as of 2030. As it is predicted that 80% of the building stock that will exist in 2050 has already been built, it is vital to realise the potential for energy efficiency in the existing building stock. Now, the first steps lie in the hands of the member states to formulate their plans to meet the agreed targets. In 2026, the European Commission will have the final say on the implementation of the revised EPBD.
The Parliament’s vote in favour followed only days after last week’s Buildings & Climate Forum in Paris, organised by the French state and UN Environmental Programme (UNEP). For two days, high-level representatives from key organisations, NGO’s and local authorities across the entire building sector value chain discussed the potential collaboration and partnerships to advance decarbonisation and climate resilience of buildings. And the result was outstanding, as no less than 70 government representatives signed the Declaration de Chaillot, committing to a concrete operational implementation of the Paris Agreement, and engaging the entire value chain in the transition to decarbonise the sector. To uphold these commitments, future international forums as the G20 and the climate 'COP’s' will be used as platforms to address construction and building-related issues.
As buildings account for 36% of EU greenhouse-gas emissions, the EPBD and the Declaration de Chaillot are two significant steps in the right direction for a sector representing a pressing, yet promising, action area in the green transition.
With comprehensive regulations and innovative solutions from public-private partnerships, energy efficiency is an embedded part of the Danish mindset. Danish companies provide innovative solutions and technologies in everything from insulation, windows, data control systems to architecture that make sustainable energy renovation projects possible. The Reduction Roadmap is a great example of the ambitious goals driving the Danish building sector, where private actors across the sector have partnered up to push the green agenda and heighten the political demands in the national building code for 2025.
During the two days in Paris, several Danish companies such as ROCKWOOL, Danfoss, VELUX, Ramboll and Arup took part in main activities as panel debates, roundtables, and exhibitions. VELUX presented their innovative housing project Living Places and Ramboll launched a new digital carbon benchmark for buildings, CO2mpare.
Read more about the ambitions, solutions, and news from the Danish building sector below.
.png?upscale=true&width=600&upscale=true&name=State%20of%20Green%20Weekly%20(2).png)
.png?upscale=true&width=360&upscale=true&name=Signatur%20billede%20(23).png)
.png?quality=low&upscale=true&width=520&upscale=true&name=New%20white%20paper%20%20(1).png)
