Op-ed: The EU Green Deal – A Man on the Moon or Cosy at Home?

Our analysis of the European Commission’s Communication on the European Green Deal, published in December 2019.

Dubbed by the Commission President as “Europe’s man on the moon moment”, the Green Deal should also be the tool to provide all Europeans ‘cosy at home moments’. How? By unfurling a truly game-changing Renovation Wave across Europe.

We were happy to see that the Commission recognises the key role that buildings, and specifically building renovation, will play in delivering climate neutrality by 2050, by proposing a new Renovation Wave Initiative. But for building renovation projects to be developed on the ground, stars need to be aligned: regulation, incentives, financing, awareness and information.

Good things, which we would like to see strengthened:

• Commission guidance to Member States in addressing energy poverty
• Rigorous enforcement by the Commission of existing legislation, such as the EPBD
• An open platform with stakeholders to address renovation barriers
• Innovative financing schemes to build a pipeline of projects
• Including energy efficient housing in the activities which could be financed by the Just Transition Mechanism

Missing links and doubts. Where has the Energy Efficiency First principle gone? Why propose to extend the ETS to “emissions from buildings” – is this the best solution to spur renovation works? And will the updated Skills Agenda touch upon the construction and renovation sector?

So, is the proposed Renovation Wave ‘deeply transformative’? Not yet. The Green Deal includes some very positive elements on building renovation, but those are mostly enabling conditions, and they won’t do the trick on their own, without regulation.