The EU plans to restore 35 million buildings by 2030.
The European Commission (EC) wants to restore 35 million buildings that are inefficient in the use of energy resources by 2030. The EC wants to speed up the renovation of such buildings, which in practice means the renovation of an additional ten million buildings by 2030, announced today EC Energy Commissioner Kadri Simsone, indicating that a total of 35 million buildings are planned to be renovated. “We know what can work because the elements we support already exist,” said the commissioner, citing programs in Lithuania, the Czech Republic and Sweden as examples. The EU is committed to becoming climate neutral by 2050, and the EC recently proposed to reduce emissions by 40% to 55% by 2030. Currently, buildings account for 40% of total EU energy consumption and 36% of greenhouse gas emissions from electricity, according to EC data. In order for the EU to be able to achieve the goals set for 2030, emissions from the use of electricity in the supply of buildings must be reduced by 60%. Officials in Brussels hope the renovation will help the 34 million EU citizens struggling to pay their electricity bills and create 160,000 new jobs.