Last week, EBC participated in the SolarPower Summit 2020, SolarPower Europe’s annual flagship event. This edition focused on the contribution of solar-based solutions to achieve a fully decarbonised economy and explore the necessary political and regulatory milestones to turn the ambitious vision of the EU Green Deal into reality.
In that context, a session was dedicated to the Renovation Wave, with MEP Ciaran Cuffe (Greens/IRL), DG Energy and EBC Secretary-General among the panellists. The session explored the role that innovative business models can play in enabling the success of the Renovation Wave by unlocking private investments in future-proof renewable technologies.
The EU Renovation Wave represents a turning point in the process of reaching the European climate and energy goals and supporting construction SMEs active in the renovation market, which are suffering strongly from the Covid-19 implications.
 | However, there is a need for a “stable and well-implemented regulatory framework instead of a constantly changing one”, commented EBC Secretary-General Eugenio Quintieri referring to the Clean Energy Package. He added that “the focus on the implementation of current legislation is of crucial importance, especially when considering that we are far from a proper implementation of the amended European Building Performance Directive”[1]. [1] BPIE, “A review of EU Member States’ 2020 Long-term Renovation Strategies” |
The upcoming Renovation Wave will have to address the financial support for the renovation of the built environment as a top priority because the expected support under Next Generation EU is still theoretical. The role of Member States will in fact be crucial in prioritising construction-related areas when demanding funding from the different programmes aimed at recovering the European economy.
Since the funding framework is often fragmented, which is burdensome and time-consuming for enterprises and homeowners, more technical support is needed. One-stop-shops are crucial for renovation projects (counselling, easing the administrative burden, bundling of funding, etc.), which is why they need to be better funded and easier to implement. Still on the technical side, more support is also crucial for construction specific digital innovation hubs and should have a double vocation: showing innovation to enterprises and training workers to new innovation.
In view of today’s vote by the European Parliament on the climate law and the CO2 reduction targets for 2030, EBC reiterates its willingness to discuss with the European institutions and stakeholders in the built environment on the best way to help SMEs in the construction sector, which are essential actors for any success in the Renovation Wave.
