ENPOR Lunch Talk – Energy Prices Skyrocket in Europe: Will Fit for 55 help the energy poor?

The third Lunch Talk will focus on how the Fit for 55 Package impacts energy poverty – with the participation of Ina Karova (Energy Agency Plovdiv), Ms Louise Sunderland (Regulatory Assistance Project, RAP), Hélène Sibileau (Building Performance Institute Europe, BPIE), Emmanuelle Causse and Emil Martini (International Union of Property Owners, UIPI), and Zita Kakalejcikova (Habitat for Humanity International).

Energy-efficient renovation of the existing housing stock is one of the main solutions to reduce energy poverty. While energy-efficient housing not only alleviates energy poverty, it also contributes to the reduction of CO2 emissions, those who struggle to meet their energy needs often live in insufficiently isolated dwellings with low energy efficiency. In the case of privately rented housing, renovating these homes require overcoming several existing conflicts and problems. We will explore why and how minimum energy performance standards could contribute to alleviating energy poverty, especially in the private rented sector and what are the solutions and pitfalls of standards, certification schemes and compliance to these in the light of the Fit for 55 package for deep renovation in Europe.

This discussion will focus on key questions: Can Minimum Energy Performance Standards be a solution if landlords find energy performance certificates for buildings problematic? How can local, regional and national authorities convince landlords to increase the energy efficiency of the private rental housing stock? What elements of the Fit for 55 Package can be of use for authorities to support the housing revolution?

Recommended reads:

• https://www.enpor.eu/fit-for-55-and-energy-poverty-will-emmission-trading-make-it-worse/
• https://www.raponline.org/knowledge-center/filling-the-policy-gap-minimum-energy-performance-standards-for-european-buildings/
• https://energypost.eu/eu-buildings-renovations-get-ready-for-minimum-energy-performance-standards-meps/
• https://ec.europa.eu/energy/eu-buildings-factsheets-topics-tree/building-renovation-rates_en