Housing Simplification Package: EBE’s response to the call for evidence

The current housing crisis is weighing on people’s budgets, access to property, and living conditions. Across Europe, households are increasingly confronted with rising rents, limited availability of affordable homes, and growing energy and water bills that further exacerbate housing stress. In many cases, housing stress is driven not only by purchase prices or rents, but also by high operating costs, particularly energy and water bills.

A simplification approach to the housing crisis should not come at the expense but facilitate established renovation and construction trajectories. The regulatory framework recently adopted plays a crucial role in achieving the EU’s affordability agenda while strengthening the competitiveness of the construction sector. Energy and water efficiency technologies are already available and can play a central role in lowering bills and increasing the supply of affordable housing.

Efficient Buildings Europe’s recommendations are:

• Prioritise energy and water efficiency
  Available energy- and water-efficiency technologies should be central to reducing household bills and improving long-term housing affordability.
• Build on the EPBD and ensure regulatory certainty
  The Package should build on existing legislation and avoid reopening the EPBD before its implementation, providing stability for the market.
• Accelerate renovation through simpler procedures. The Package should explore Energy Renovation Acceleration Zones to streamline permitting, simplify administrative procedures and accelerate projects that improve energy performance and increase housing supply.
• Ensure adequate and accessible financing
  The EU should strengthen financing for energy renovation and operationalise instruments such as an EU Renovation Loan Facility.
• Align public procurement with the EPBD
  Public procurement rules for buildings should be aligned with the EPBD’s Zero-Emission Building standard.
• Support renovation in the rental sector
  The Package should promote incentives for landlords and solutions such as on-bill repayment to accelerate renovation in rented homes.
• Accelerate digitalisation
  Digital tools such as Building Information Modelling can reduce administrative burdens and make construction and renovation more efficient.

Get access to our contribution to the Housing Simplification Package and read all our recommendations.