Priority to investments in building renovation

Ecologic released a think piece addressing the need to invest in building renovation through the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility. It is aimed to provide a basis for discussion between stakeholders and policy makers.

Why focusing on building sector?

• The building sector is responsible for 27% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. According to the European Commission, building renovation rates must double to contribute to the envisioned 55% emission reduction by 2030.
• It will help us to achieve a fair and sustainable recovery: the International Energy Agency (IEA 2020) and Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE 2020) both predict about 18,000 jobs per billion euros invested.
• Also, it is crucial to improve the quality of our building stock to address indoor air quality and energy poverty.

In this paper, Ecologic use the case for earrking a minimum share of the Recovery Resilience Facility to finance in-depth building renovations.  These funds should be allocated in function of the building sector’s share of total GHG emissions, in line with the EU’s green recovery commitments and the requirement to spend 37 % of the Recovery and Resilience Facility grants and loans on climate-related investments.

First, this think piece addresses the question “Why buildings are a linchpin for climate action and a green recovery?” and then suggests benchmarks for Recovery Resilience Facility funding to go to building renovation.

Source:Funding for Energy Renovation – Renovate Europe (renovate-europe.eu)