Building a polluted future?

Date: 20/10/05

Improving energy efficiency is one of the ways by which Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs aims to improve Europe's security of energy supply.

In a Green Paper his department published on the subject this summer transport and buildings were highlighted as the two sectors in which the greatest energy savings could be made.

Anybody asked which of these two contributes most to global warming is likely to point a finger at traffic. But in fact, 40% of EU CO2 emissions come from buildings - the buildings we live and work in, our hospitals, schools and shops, every building we see.

In an earlier attempt to cut CO2 emissions from poor insulation, inefficient heating and ill-fitting windows, the EU adopted a law on energy performance of buildings. The 2001 directive imposes tough energy efficiency require-ments on all new houses built after January 2006, and strict refurbishment standards for old buildings over a certain size.

But without waiting for this deadline to pass, the Netherlands recently announced it had no intention of implementing the law. The Dutch government late last month issued a statement saying the directive was too expensive and should be scrapped, pending renegotiation.

European legal experts say this is the first time an EU country has ever called for a re-think before legislation has even come into force. The Netherlands estimated that the directive would cost EUR 80 million a year to implement - far more than it can expect to be fined if the European Commission launches a legal challenge. The EU executive currently says it will wait for the deadline to pass before deciding what action to take.

But lobby groups argue that national governments will see a more than fair return on their investment in the buildings directive.

Insulation group Eurima says full implementation of the directive would mean savings of almost EUR 4 billion across the EU by 2010. Indeed, Eurima has long argued that the directive should be applied to the renovation of all buildings, rather than only those covering an area greater than 1,000 square metres. A truly comprehensive directive, says the pressure group, could save Europe EUR 7.5bn by 2010.

MEPs also back Piebalgs in his bid to make our homes draught-proof and environmentally sound. Deputies this month adopted a report calling on EU leaders to fight climate change by dramatically boosting investment in the efficiency of buildings, transport and energy systems. The report says EU efforts to improve energy efficiency should be on a par with the US Apollo programme for space research in the 1960s. But if many more member states follow the example set by the Netherlands this autumn, supporters of the buildings directive might just be wishing for the moon.

Article looks at the dispute surrounding the Buildings Directive, legislation that was to establish energy efficiency requirements on all new houses built after January 2006. The Netherlands announced in September 2005 that it had no intention of implementing the law. The Government issued a statement saying the Directive was too expensive and should be scrapped, pending renegotiation.