The European Parliament wants more buildings in the European Union to be refurbished and made energy-efficient. Measures will be introduced to renovate buildings and make them sustainable. In this way, the European Parliament aims to help counteract global warming and also improve air quality inside buildings.
Buildings are responsible for about forty percent of energy consumption in the EU. The MEPs consider promoting sustainable renovation of buildings to be of great importance. They also want to provide financial support for increased energy efficiency and savings.
The European Parliament also wants to encourage the use of sustainable, innovative, and non-toxic building materials. Furthermore, special labels will be introduced that indicate whether so-called 'circular materials' are being used. In this way, for example, wood-based materials can play a role in replacing fossil-based alternatives.
Currently, 35 percent of all buildings in the EU are over fifty years old and highly energy-inefficient. Moreover, only about one percent of these buildings are renovated annually. Renovating existing buildings can help significantly reduce the EU's total energy consumption. It contributes up to six percent in reducing energy emissions and at least five percent in lowering CO2 emissions.