Our society and economy are changing as our lifestyles shift in a world recovering from Covid-19. While the governments are working to face this challenge, new local and regional instances stand out. A sustainable recovery throughout Europe calls for a reduction of the existing gaps between regions.
Energy efficiency qualifies as one of the sectors with a greater potential for the double dividend hypothesis, thus supporting economic recovery and decarbonisation simultaneously. Although recent years have witnessed the introduction of various regulatory mechanisms and incentives for efficiency, the energy saving potential of the European building stock is still very high, especially in the residential sector. To activate it, a thirty-year planning and short-term shock measures are required to unlock the efficiency process.
This report provides a snapshot of the European building stock at local level, and identifies the most critical regions, taking into account buildings age, climatic conditions, some structural barriers and key economic indicators. Based on this information, the energy saving potential of extensive renovation of residential buildings has been calculated, as well as the associated investment needs and the impact on employment. These indications and datasets can guide decision-makers in the definition of fine-tuned programmes for the refurbishment of existing buildings at European and national level.