BPIE - Buildings Performance Institute Europe

What does it take to drive the renovation wave? A 600kg stone falling from a building? An earthquake damaging tens of thousands of homes? 🏚️ At the BPIE Changemakers and Policy Dialogue in the European Parliament, we heard from changemakers who turned big challenges into opportunities, transforming their communities through renovation. Their message is clear: renovated, healthy buildings represent a major opportunity for Europe. 🏠 Manuela Navarro, a retired secretary in a Madrid building complex, led the renovation of 80 buildings and 1800 individually owned flats (107by 2026!), cutting heating bills by up to 92%. 🏫 Anđelka Toto Ormuž of ROCKWOOL Group showed how school renovations improve energy use, but also well-being, concentration, and learning outcomes. Healthy schools = better education, creativity, and productivity. 🏗️ cecilia hugony, CEO of Teicosgroup demonstrated how participatory renovation processes create jobs, drive innovation, and accelerate transformation of buildings, homes and the construction sector. Under her leadership, Teicos went from a turnover of €3 million to €57 million in a few years, with a growing number of women, engineers and architects on the team. 🏭 Hélène de Troostembergh, serial entrepreneur for serial renovation, showed how offsite construction ensures fast results w/ minimal disruption. A school was renovated from G to A class in just one summer! As our host MEP Thomas Pellerin-Carlin articulated so well, Europe is facing unprecedented challenges, but pragmatic optimism is key. We have the opportunity to: 💡 Become world leaders in construction innovation 🏡 Create local jobs and drive economic growth 📚 Ensure better education and well-being for our children 💸 Embed energy efficiency and circularity into housing affordability strategies 💪 Increase our resilience against external shocks like climate change and natural disasters We must scale these local successes into transformative EU policies. A big thank you to Alejandro Ulzurran (European Commission) & Benedetta Scuderi (The Greens/EFA in the European Parliament) for their insights on the power of effective communication in driving change. Congratulations to Thomas and Benedetta for their commitment to raising the profile of building renovation in the European Parliament. And huge applause for Ciarán Cuffe for making the link between the state of the building stock and the housing crisis – that building renovation is an exercise of civic protection. Tackling issues like fire and earthquake safety, accessibility for disabled, and much more, helps us tackle the bigger picture of climate change. Ultimately, Europe’s renovation story is a big success waiting to unfold—a chance to build bridges and focus on what unites us, rather than what divides us. We look forward to working together on the next steps in this critical journey. #BPIEdialogue #EUGreenDeal #RenovationWave #buildings #renovation #circularity #innovation #construction

🔍Zoom in: Mapping Policy Needs for effective 2024 EPBD implementation   Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/ec8ejgzA   The 2024 EPBD (Energy Performance of Buildings Directive) sets ambitious goals to transform the EU's building stock to reach zero-emission standards by 2050, treating differently non-residential buildings from residential ones. For non-residential buildings, Member States must put in place minimum energy performance standards (#MEPS) while for residential buildings, they must establish a national trajectory for their progressive renovation.   Key Policy Needs: ✔️ Good understanding and overview of the national building stock. ✔️ Guidance on how to communicate about MEPS/ national trajectory. ✔️ Guidance on establishing an enabling framework for MEPS and national trajectories. ✔️ Guidance on how to further integrate MEPS/national trajectories within NBRPs. ✔️ Guidance on how to enhance the qualified workforce in the construction sector. ✔️Guidance on identifying the buildings that can be exempted from renovation. ✔️Guidance on setting up an effective compliance and enforcement system. ✔️Support in establishing proper monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.     Learn more about these policy needs here: https://lnkd.in/ec8ejgzA #EPBDwise

🌍 Sufficiency in the Building sector: a new report by BPIE - Buildings Performance Institute Europe for DG Environment published 🏡 Our authors Zsolt Toth, Emily B. and Lisa Graaf, in collaboration with Jacob Steinmann from Ramboll, have developed a report for DG Environment exploring how sufficiency measures in the building sector can significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while delivering many social benefits. Link: https://lnkd.in/eSPxEVzQ The report focuses on measures to help preserve existing building stock. It summarises existing research and analyses and quantified the potential impacts of five inspiring initiatives across Europe: ✅ Germany: "Aus Alt mach 2 und mehr" (Turn One into Two or More) in Baden-Württemberg, offering consultations to divide single-family homes.  ✅ Belgium: "1Toit2Ages," connecting people for shared, intergenerational housing.  ✅ Poland: The "Empty Space" project, mobilising vacant properties to house homeless individuals.  ✅ Ireland: "Parkwest Plaza 12," repurposing vacant office spaces.  ✅ France: The National Plan to Identify and Address Vacancy, targeting unused buildings to revitalise regions and reduce land consumption. The findings show that maximising sufficiency measures can drive substantial CO2 savings, but the benefits extend far beyond that! Interestingly, all the initiatives were initially driven by other objectives, such as:  -Affordable housing and intergenerational exchange.  -Regional revitalisation and reduced land use.  -Increased housing availability and lower infrastructure costs. This report makes a case for integrating sufficiency into broader climate and social strategies. By positioning it as a cross-cutting solution - linking climate action, resource conservation, housing, and just transition policies - we can unlock its full potential. Let’s take this message to where it is needed: Affordable housing plan, Committee on the EU Housing Crisis … 🌱 📖 Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/eSPxEVzQ Big thanks to our interview partners Peggy Martiny, Zéro Logement Vacant, Christa Gnann, Habitat for Humanity … 1Toit2Ages #WholeLifeCarbon #sufficiency #existingbuildingstock

Kjetil Tonning is the chair of Task Force “Ukraine”, set up by FIEC EU (European Construction Industry Federation) and  EIC - European International Contractors  with the involvement of CBU (Confederation of Builders of Ukraine) aiming to contribute to the future #reconstruction of #Ukraine.  BPIE - Buildings Performance Institute Europe caught up with Kjetil Tonning at the #RebuildUkraine conference in #Warsaw, and we asked him:     🌍 What is needed for Ukraine to #BuildBackBetter ? 🇺🇦 Kjetil Tonning shared his vision for a sustainable and resilient future and highlighted key challenges and opportunities for Ukraine's reconstruction:    🔹 A new way forward: Rebuilding Ukraine sustainably means adopting European standards and methods, ensuring long-term resilience and environmental responsibility. 🔹 Leveraging expertise: Europe’s construction industry has extensive experience in sustainable building. Sharing this knowledge openly with Ukrainian professionals is crucial. 🔹 Education as a cornerstone: Initiatives to provide training and resources—such as translating online courses into Ukrainian—can help develop the skills needed for reconstruction. 🔹 Collaborative efforts: Task Force Ukraine plays a vital role in fostering connections between European and Ukrainian construction federations and companies, with strong support from the European Commission.  This is more than rebuilding—it’s an opportunity to create a #sustainable, #connected future for Ukraine, with European and Ukrainian industries working hand in hand. 🎥 Watch the video to hear Kjetil’s full thoughts on how we can #BuildBackBetter in Ukraine. #UkraineReconstruction #BuildingBackBetter #SustainableReconstruction #EuropeanIntegration #TaskForceUkraine #GreenRecovery #RebuildUkraine Stay tuned for upcoming stakeholder views from GIZ Ukraine Dr.Ima Khrenova-Shymkina Energy Efficiency Fund of Ukraine EBRD and more !  

Roman holiday anyone? On March 5 in Rome, BPIE's Mariangiola Fabbri will speak about how to #BuildBetterLives through efficient, safe and accessible homes for all. 🏡 She will be presenting BPIE's first ever country exclusive #BuildingsClimateTracker - yes that's right - we will be publishing an Italian version of our flagship BCT! Registration is free through the link below 👇 https://lnkd.in/d6TgpqHz Italian courses not included. Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe Eva Brardinelli ECCO think tank Kyoto Club Renovate Italy Filca Cisl Fratello Sole Impresa Sociale Srl

🔍Zoom in: Mapping Policy Needs for effective 2024 #EPBD implementation   Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/ec8ejgzA   The 2024 Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) introduces Zero-emission buildings (ZEBs) as the new standard across the EU, requiring compliance by 2028 for new public buildings and 2030 for all new buildings.   #ZEBs are a cornerstone of the EU’s strategy for a climate-neutral building stock by 2050. To support effective implementation, Member States need:   ✔️Guidance in developing a national ZEB definition. ✔️Guidance on coordination between reduction of energy needs and renewable energy sources. ✔️Guidance on designing targeted policies and financing instruments to advance the transition to ZEBs ✔️Guidance on understanding what types of skills and training are necessary to implement ZEBs. ✔️Guidance on establishing monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for ZEBs.   Learn more about the steps needed to meet these goals: https://lnkd.in/ec8ejgzA #EPBDwise

🚨Our EPD-study developed for the German market is now available in English! While it is based on interviews and analysis with German stakeholders, the main trends and insights are relevant for other countries as well. Read the report here: https://lnkd.in/gShfR9Q6 #EnvironmentalProductDeclaration #EPDs #LCA ECO Platform AISBL

🔍Zoom in: Mapping Policy Needs for effective 2024 EPBD implementation   Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/ec8ejgzA   The 2024 EPBD introduces National Building Renovation Plans (NBRPs) to replace long-term renovation strategies, offering a more structured and comprehensive tool for decarbonising Europe’s building stock. NBRPs require a detailed roadmap with targets, policies, investment needs, and progress indicators, improving coordination and strategic planning. In relation to drafting and implementing NBRPs, the following policy needs have been identified: ✔️ Better processes for collecting and updating reliable building stock data. ✔️Guidance in building institutional capacity for drafting and implementing the NBRP. ✔️Guidance on mobilising diverse funding sources and tailored schemes. ✔️Inclusive consultations and continuous stakeholder involvement. ✔️Guidance on ensuring consistency with other national or EU strategies touching upon building decarbonisation, especially the national energy and climate plans. ✔️Guidance on how to develop robust systems to track progress and outcomes.   These insights will support Member States in creating actionable, aligned strategies to meet EPBD 2024 goals and advance building decarbonisation.   Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/ec8ejgzA #EPBDwise #NBRPs

🚨 New report: “Developing a database for building energy efficiency in Germany. Learning from our EU neighbors” Here’s the deal:  Building data is crucial for monitoring the energy transition and achieving climate targets. Article 22 of the EPBD mandates Member States to set up national databases to gather information on the energy performance of individual buildings and each country's building stock.    Currently, Germany is the only EU country without this type of database! However, it has the opportunity to learn from the solutions implemented by its European neighbours.  The results & recommendations can be found in our latest report (in German): https://lnkd.in/dhjqnhKY Key insights from EU neighbours highlight what is feasible even under strict EU data protection regulations:  ✔️ User-focused design: Orienting the architecture and design of the database explicitly around the needs of building owners. For instance, evolving energy performance certificate (EPC) database tools into a digital building logbook (e.g., Salzburg) makes it easier for owners to manage all building-related processes. ✔️ Access to localised data: In many cases, energy performance data can be viewed with location-specific detail, often tied to specific access permissions (e.g., Bulgaria, France, and Denmark). ✔️ Visualization and accessibility: Spatial representation of the distribution of energy performance classes and address-specific queries of energy certificates through an online interface (e.g., France, Denmark, Netherlands) provide an accessible and impactful way for owners to plan and execute renovation measures. ✔️ Integration with building registers: Creating interfaces with building registers is a key step to making data from various sources usable (e.g., Portugal, France, Austria, Switzerland). ✔️ Data modeling (“prefill”): Using available data to model building information can help close data gaps, which can then be verified and supplemented as needed (e.g., Netherlands). ✔️ Policy evaluation: A building database can be used to assess the effectiveness of political programs by comparing reductions in energy demand with actual energy consumption (e.g., Portugal, Salzburg). ✔️ Incentivising participation: Financial support can be tied to the creation and availability of EPCs in the database, contributing to its validity and increasing representativeness. ✔️ Quality assurance: Quality checks can already be integrated during the upload of EPCs into the database (e.g., Portugal and Austria). ✔️ Cross-ministerial collaboration: Establishing a building database requires inter-ministerial cooperation (e.g., Woningpas in Flanders). Voluntary collaboration with private actors also plays a role in collecting relevant building data (e.g., France). An iterative approach with pilot and testing phases can prioritise user needs. More information in the first comment.

🔍Zoom in: Mapping Policy Needs for Effective 2024 EPBD Implementation Our new #EPBDwise report offers a summary of what Member States need for designing and implementing comprehensive and consistent policy packages to accelerate building decarbonisation across the EU. Stay tuned as we zoom into each policy need instrument in the following weeks! 📚Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/ec8ejgzA   The 2024 Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) aims to decarbonise the EU’s building sector with new standards and enhanced tools. Our Policy Needs Report maps the key cross-cutting policy needs identified across EU Member States for successful implementation. See them summarised in the carousel below! The findings in this report serve as the basis for the upcoming EPBD.wise policy guidelines, providing essential insights that will guide national policymakers in the EPBD implementation process. #EPBD #decarbonisation Efficient Buildings Europe Renovate Europe ADENE - Agência para a Energia e-think energy research ENEA SERA global Lukas Kranzl Irma Imamovic Ece Özer Francesca Conselvan Bettina Sticher Oliver Rapf Caroline Milne Sibyl Steuwer Denisa Diaconu Fabio Zanghirella Karoly Matolcsy Anita Terjek Afroditi Psatha Deborah Sentali Rose Hartwig-Peillon Vladimir Shimkin Center for Energy Efficiency EnEffect Bulgarian Association for Construction Insulation and Waterproofing (BACIW) INZEB ÉMI Nonprofit Kft. Fala Renowacji ROENEF Mihai Moia Alice Corovessi Anna Sokulska