Briefing 2/2019: capturing the untapped benefits of energy renovation

During the first 100 days of the new European Commission, the Renovate Europe Campaign tracked the development of the European Green Deal with its #GreenDeal4Buildings campaign. This first briefing of the campaign looks at the many untapped benefits of energy renovation: lower emissions, an end to energy poverty, and economic and wellbeing benefits.

Renovating private homes has a benefit-cost ratio of 4:1, thanks to lower healthcare spending, fewer energy subsidies, job creation and citizens lifted out of energy poverty. Buildings account for 40% of EU energy demand and 36% of CO₂ emissions, the EU imports 55% of its energy at a cost of around €300 billion a year, and nine out of ten existing buildings will still be in use in 2050.