Buildings in Europe account for about 40 % of the total energy consumption and of 36% of the CO2 emissions. Currently, about 35% of the EU's buildings are over 50 years old. By improving the energy efficiency of buildings, Europe could reduce total EU energy consumption by 6% and lower CO2 emissions by about 5%. (Source: http://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/topics/energy-efficiency/buildings).

ES-SO is strongly supporting the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) which has since its Recast in 2010 given to Member States a powerful means to improve the energy performance of their buildings. The EU Commisison launched on 30th November 2016 its Clean Energy package.  

ES-SO would like to stress a point of attention, which is not sufficiently addressed:

"Overheating risk in low energy buildings to combat": Low energy construction methods and a progressing climate change are reported as playing a significant role in increasing overheating in new built and renovated buildings, which will shift the energy need for heating into more energy needed for cooling. To address this properly an explicit article on overheating has to be included in the coming EPBD review.

Download the ES-SO White Paper here.

ES-SO assembles studies and reports on overheating risk in low energy buildings, read more 

Read here  also the Joint Paper 9th November 2016 on  'Tapping the potential of windows' by European Aluminium, Eurowindoor, ES-SO, Glass for Europe.