Spanish building community calls for greater ambition on energy renovation of buildings

On 14 June 2017, EuroACE organised a workshop in Madrid on ‘Energy Renovation of Buildings in Spain’. Over 50 participants from industry, the financial sector, the European Commission and Spanish national and local authorities gathered at the Official College of Architects of Madrid (COAM) to discuss the crucial role of building renovation in the Spanish energy transition and economy.

Speakers looked at how to match financing with regulatory ambition, and at the ‘implementation challenge’ of transposing and enforcing EU energy efficiency legislation to its full potential. “If you really want to boost economic activity and create local, quality jobs, then ambitious energy renovation programmes are the answer,” said Adrian Joyce, EuroACE Secretary General.

The workshop led 21 leading building material and services companies and associations to endorse the Madrid Declaration, a call to the Spanish authorities to show greater political courage and leadership for a more ambitious energy renovation of the existing building stock. Among other things, the signatories declared that:

• A national energy renovation strategy to transform Spain’s building stock, public and private, into a highly energy efficient, nearly zero-energy and decarbonised stock by 2050 is one of the most cost-effective ways to sustainably revitalise the Spanish economy
• Greater political courage and leadership, through national, regional and city-level renovation strategies with milestones for 2030 and 2040, is in the best interests of Spain, Spanish businesses and citizens
• Putting occupants and users at the heart of holistic energy renovation creates multiple benefits: new local jobs, economic growth, improved health and wellbeing, better comfort and higher productivity