The European Commission has proposed rules according to which European Union countries will have to renovate the least energy efficient buildings by the end of the decade to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save fuel. Reuters… Buildings account for about 40 percent of energy consumption in the EU, and most are fueled by fossil fuels.
The members of the commission said that their goal is to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030, compared with 1990 levels. To do this, by the next decade, it is necessary to renovate all buildings in the EU with an energy efficiency certificate G, that is, with the worst energy rating. F-class homes by 2033. Non-residential buildings should be repaired faster – by 2027 and by 2030, respectively. Refurbishment requires the use of techniques such as insulation or efficient heating systems.
Louise Sunderland, senior advisor to the nonprofit Regulatory Assistance Project, said classifying the buildings and establishing minimum grades is necessary to kickstart the renovation. However, this renovation does not involve raising the building class to A, B or C and providing significant energy savings. “This is a largely missed opportunity,” she said.
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The long-term goal is for all EU buildings to have zero emissions by 2050, when the EU is committed to eliminating net emissions.
The Commission said that from 2027, EU countries should not provide government support for fossil fuel power plants. She also called for EU funds to be spent on construction and reconstruction, which provide jobs for vulnerable households.
Modernization advocates see it as a chance to win public support for green politics. This could happen if subsidized programs improve the quality of life through warmer homes and lower heating costs, which have risen in recent months due to record gas prices.
One way to achieve the global goal is to create an emissions trading system for buildings whose heating produces carbon dioxide emissions. Some countries, fearing its social consequences, opposed the EU proposal to introduce a separate system.
In 2021, in the European Union, building operations are responsible for more than 33 percent of emissions, and almost three quarters of European buildings still do not meet energy efficiency requirements. According to the commission, by 2030, energy consumption will decrease by 32.5 percent.
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