Discussione:3. Overview of the Starting Point of the Proposed Action
Residential & commercial buildings account for 40 % of EU’s final energy use The energy consumption is mostly in buildings where energy is predominantly used for buildings' space and water heating, cooling and cooking (i.e. 78% of total needs for service sector and 88% for residential in 2007). The rest of the energy consumption is to be attributed to the use of electric appliances and lighting.
The business-as-usual scenario projects that the final energy use in the residential sector will increase with 4.4% over 2008-2020 period and in the tertiary sector with 1%. The potential for cost-effective energy savings for the two sectors is currently estimated at 21%. Some of it (or 13.4%) will possibly be realized with the current policies but still the two sectors offer the biggest savings potential from the final energy sectors. In addition, most of energy efficiency and savings technologies are cost-effective and on the market but further innovation is still possible. Therefore, is an obvious first step for reaching the EU’s energy but also climate policy objectives.
(European Commission, Commission staff working document Impact assessment, Energy Efficiency Plan 2011 , Brussels, 8.3.2011, SEC(2011) 277 final)
The EU Buildings sector is key to reach 20/20/20 targets and it is the sector where progress towards sustainability is cheapest to reach.
Energy efficiency strategies can reduce a building’s energy consumption by 50% to 70% and renewable energy technologies must be used to reach the goal of a net-zero energy building.
Figures set that annual construction rate of new buildings is in the order of 1 % of the building stock, demolition rate 0,5 %, and retrofit 1,8 % . Business as usual won’t be good enough to reach the EU’s climate & energy targets. The EU is not on track to fully realize these cost-effective energy savings.
A combined approach on both the demand and the supply side is needed on the road to “Nearly-zero energy buildings” that integrated different approaches (from legislation to technical solution to qualification of workforce to public awareness) (Christine Lins Secretary General of EREC, Key-note perspectives & the Intelligent Energy – European experience,IEE European Info Day Brussels, 18th January 2011)
