In its response to a European Commission public consultation on the 2020 energy efficiency objective and a 2030 energy efficiency policy framework, Glass for Europe, the trade association for Europe’s manufacturers of flat glass, is calling on the EU to prioritise energy savings in buildings by setting up a sectorial energy saving target for the built environment by 2030.
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,“At a time when EU head of states and governments are concerned about the economic and geostrategic consequences of the Union’s energy dependency, saving the huge amounts of energy needlessly wasted in inefficient buildings must be given priority,” said Bertrand Cazes, secretary general of Glass for Europe.
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,According to Glass for Europe, the built environment accounts for the biggest share of the EU energy consumption and offers the most potential to realise massive energy savings and thus reduce Europe’s addiction to costly energy imports. Glass for Europe maintains that improvements to the thermal performance of building envelopes are the first cost-effective step to making buildings energy efficient and will support economic activity and jobs while helping to decarbonise Europe’s economy.
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,“Due to the length of investment cycles and the building industry’s fragmentation, market actors and investors need long-term visibility and regulatory certainty. This is precisely why a target is so important in this sector,” added Bertrand Cazes.
Alongside a target, Glass for Europe says that an ‘ambitious revision’ of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive will be necessary to realise energy savings.
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,Glass for Europe also supports the establishment of global energy efficiency targets to fill the gap of the ‘weak’ EC proposal for a 2030 energy and climate framework.
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