State of the Union 2026: what it means for Europe's buildings
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered her 2026 State of the Union address this morning in Strasbourg. Competitiveness, security and climate resilience were among the clear threads running through the speech, and all have important implications for Europe’s buildings. Our Secretary General, Rémi Collombet, shared three reflections from a buildings perspective.
As electrification accelerates, let’s not forget energy efficiency
President von der Leyen put a strong emphasis on clean energy and electrification, both essential to decarbonising Europe’s economy and its building stock. But Europe’s energy transition stands on two legs: clean energy supply and energy efficiency. As we accelerate electrification, reducing energy demand must remain part of the equation.
Energy efficiency has already helped shield Europeans from volatile energy prices, while improving comfort and reducing pressure on the energy system. And with buildings still accounting for a significant share of Europe’s energy use, there is much more potential to unlock.
Climate resilience should be mainstreamed in buildings policies
After another summer of extreme heat, resilience is rightly moving up the political agenda. It was particularly welcome to hear President von der Leyen explicitly highlight energy-efficient cooling. The upcoming European Climate Resilience Framework offers an important opportunity to look at how our buildings can protect people from rising temperatures while avoiding higher energy demand and emissions.
Water efficiency deserves a place in the buildings conversation
Water also featured prominently, reflecting the growing impact of scarcity. The Commission announced a new European Water Initiative. Its contours still need to emerge, but buildings should be part of the discussion. There is significant untapped potential to reduce water consumption and make Europe’s building stock more resilient.
Implementation matters
We were also glad to hear calls during the debate for a strong focus on implementation. It may be the less visible part of policymaking, but it is arguably one of the most important. Europe already has a substantial legislative framework for buildings. Turning it into tangible benefits for citizens and businesses now depends on effective implementation on the ground.
