Brussels, 16/06/2016 (Agence Europe) - At an event on energy renovation and consumers at the European Parliament on Thursday 16 June, ahead of the revision, this autumn, of the EU legislation on energy efficiency, Theresa Griffin (S&D, UK) stressed the need to stimulate the energy renovation of buildings and to tackle the root causes of energy poverty.
“Energy Renovation is an opportunity to create a synergy between energy policy, social policy and industrial policy across the EU and to reconnect with citizens”, Griffin said.
Reducing the energy demand of the European building stock will result in numerous benefits to citizens seeking more comfortable, affordable and healthier homes, stressed the Director of the Renovate Europe campaign, Adrian Joyce.
“We must keep in touch with reality and listen to the needs especially of low-income groups on the ground, who are concerned about the potential rent increases following refurbishment” of their buildings, stressed the Secretary General of the association Housing Europe, Sorcha Edwards.
The new energy efficiency package will help to rectify current loopholes in EU legislation hindering uptake of the renovation market, said Renovate Europe.
The association also welcomes the calls made by the energy commissioner, Miguel Arias Canete, to define energy property and set up an EU observatory for energy poverty, a problem affecting between 50 and 125 million consumers across the EU. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)