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Rapid emission cuts need one carbon price for all sectors, including transport and buildings. But to move quickly enough, we should allow some differentiation for a limited time, writes Georg Zachmann. 

As European leaders meet today to discuss the share of emissions reductions across Europe, they must focus on how to do this effectively and avoid the possible repercussions of expanding the emissions trading scheme, writes Marcin Korolec.

The EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) has proven to be an effective tool in driving emissions reductions. Installations covered by the ETS reduced emissions by about 35% between 2005 and 2019.

Challenges to ecological and social sustainability require us to integrate limits to resource consumption into all areas, including residential space, write Doris Fuchs, Sylvia Lorek, Pia Mamut and Nils Blossey.

The make-or-break decade for deep cuts in energy consumption and carbon emissions has already begun, writes Oliver Rapf. Now it’s time to radically revise our legislation, in particular the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), he argues.

Looking for provocative opinions and dynamic new approaches to energy efficiency in Central and Eastern Europe? Searching for an interactive way to share innovative ideas that could inspire real future change in the region? Ondrej Sramek is the Corporate Affairs...

In times of climate crisis, it is no longer acceptable that our buildings swallow up so much of the limited energy resources and leave our citizens so vulnerable to energy price hikes, writes Adrian Joyce. 

A draft EU directive, due for publication on 14 December, introduces minimum energy performance standards for existing buildings undergoing major renovation works as part of a renewed push to achieve a zero-emission building stock by 2050.

Europe has taken several steps to support the transition of its building stock towards energy-efficiency, sustainability, and low-carbon through the following:  

The European Commission is considering a new EU-wide requirement to measure the carbon emissions associated with construction materials throughout their whole lifecycle but is expected to stop short of regulating for now.

When European governments devise solutions to cope with the high energy price crisis, they tend to address the problem mainly with supply side measures. This time around, it would be reassuring to see that leaders recognise the key role of energy savings, writes Arianna Vitali Roscini.

The EU’s push to improve energy efficiency in buildings and reduce the amount of fossil fuel they consume could create more than 160,000 jobs in the energy and heating sector by 2030, according to the European Commission.

How can we expect people to invest in heat pumps if we deliberately make electricity more expensive than fossil gas, oil and coal? That’s like taxing water and subsidising sugary drinks, argues Samuel Thomas.

An EU-wide emissions trading system for the transport and building sectors would secure the financing of low carbon solutions and support lower-income households and member states through the redistribution of carbon pricing revenues, argue Matthias Buck and Andreas Graf.

EU environment ministers expressed "quite a lot of reservations" about European Commission plans to set up a second emissions trading scheme for road transport and buildings at their first meeting since Brussels tabled the proposal last week.

I’ve been involved with the renovation of buildings for more than a decade. I’ve campaigned for policies to put renovation at the top of public agendas and I’ve worked on hundreds of retrofit sites across Europe. Barry Lynham is Managing...

Effiecient, technological and smarter buildings should be the cornerstone of Europe's decarbonisation, but more effort needs to go towards renovating the bloc's current building stock, writes Seán Kelly.

The impact of climate change is already felt, COP26 must take decisive action to deliver on the 1.5-degree scenario.

Decarbonising Europe’s building stock requires robust Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS), not a piecemeal approach that fails to regulate buildings that are ripe for renovation projects, writes Adrian Joyce.

The morning session, “Supplying circularity for social and affordable housing”, investigated the market-readiness of circular solutions by assessing if there is a fit between products (circular construction/renovation solutions) and market (social housing companies).  

It is troubling to see that buildings have been given a relatively small space in the overall strategy to combat rising energy prices, writes Oliver Rapf.

Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) have immense, as-yet untapped potential to help Europe decarbonise. But the methodology that underpins them must be revamped first, argues Adrian Joyce, who is calling for a reform as part of the upcoming revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD).

Reducing emissions from the built environment has become a top priority in the fight against climate change, as buildings currently gobble up 40% of Europe’s energy consumption – most of it fossil fuels.