Energy saving is an urgent focus area of the European Commission’s energy policy. Europe wastes about 20 % of the energy it consumes, and this figure is rising daily. Up to now, imports of fossil fuels meet about 50 % of total energy needs and amount to € 240 billion every year. If nothing is done about this increasing energy dependence, it could rise to 70 % by 2030.
Energy consumption is also the main reason for the growth of greenhouse gas emissions and the climate change. The EU member states have agreed on a target of a 20 % reduction in CO2 emissions, compared with 1990.
One of the measures is to save 20 % of total primary energy consumption by 2020. The EU would then use about 13 % less energy than today, which would cost € 100 billion and save 780 tons of CO2 every year.
Therefore an action plan for energy efficiency has been devised for implementation over the next six years. A very important part of this plan is the improvement of the energy performance in buildings, so the EU action plan for energy efficiency includes matters such as development of a strategy for low-energy housing, more use of passive systems for heating and cooling, and minimum requirements for buildings and components. Another measure is to increase the use of renewable energy and the EU member state governments have agreed on binding targets to use 20 % renewable energy in 2020. Renewable energy for hot water, heating and cooling in buildings is an obvious solution in both new and existing buildings.
The improvement of existing buildings’ consumption is an obvious task for the next few years as, for decades of mass construction, architecture did not consciously consider energy saving as a parameter. According to Jean Christophe Visier, head of the sustainable development department at the French Building Research Institute CSTB, each citizen should invest the equivalent of the value of a car in his house to achieve a satisfactory level of energy consumption.
Public authorities are asked to offer incentives and to inform consumers in order to encourage energy efficiency measures and change consumer behaviour patterns. Easy improvements like basic insulation measures, new windows, use of low-emission glazing, replacing obsolete boilers and electric devices already represent important annual energy savings.