Dear reader, 

We are slowly approaching the half-way mark of the EPBD’s transposition period, and much of our recent work is focused on supporting policymakers in achieving a timely and effective result. As defined in the EPBD text, the to-do list of the European Commission includes a revision of the cost-optimal methodology which is in fact a lot more exciting than its name implies. We are explaining why the current consultation on this topic is important and should not be missed, and how we are responding to it. Another topic on the to-do list is the delegated act on Whole Life Carbon, which the Commission must publish by the end of the year.  We are summarising the ways how some EU member states are already regulating this issue and what could be learned from this for a European approach.  Having the right data is one ingredient for success, and the conclusions from a workshop to tackle data fragmentation are enlightening.  

Member states are at the forefront of the EPBD transposition, and many are taking action as we reveal in our report on policies to tackle energy poverty in Lithuania, Bulgaria and Hungary. And a recent analysis for Germany finds that the country has all the ingredients in place to introduce regulation reducing greenhouse gas emissions over the lifespan of its buildings. There is no shortage of encouraging examples for the transposition of the EPBD if one looks closely – which we at BPIE will continue doing. 

But unfortunately we will have to do so without our dear colleague Mariangiola Fabbri, who joined BPIE in 2016 and led the research team since mid-2019. She was “lured away” by a tempting opportunity to join the Affordable Housing Task Force of the European Commission; the good news is that she will stay close to the topics dear to BPIE. On behalf of everyone at BPIE, I would like to thank her for the countless contributions to our work and growth and wish her the best of luck in her new job! 

Best wishes, 

Oliver Rapf 
Executive Director 

The EU’s cost-optimality framework is being revised—and while it may sound technical, it’s a major driver of renovation quality and ambition across Europe. It defines what counts as a “good” renovation and how Member States set minimum performance levels. The European Commission’s public consultation on the draft methodology is open until May 7th—a crucial opportunity to influence how Europe values building renovation benefits. 

Key messages we encourage you to highlight: 

• Support mandatory inclusion of health and environmental externalities in national cost-optimal calculations. 
• Urge for the use of lower discount rates to reflect long-term benefits of energy efficiency. 
• Advocate for longer calculation periods to capture ongoing annual benefits beyond renovations. 
• Promote the integration of life-cycle global warming potential and climate adaptation metrics. 
• Emphasise the urgency for Member States to act early in updating national standards. 

Read BPIE's reply here
Fill the public consultation here

Dear reader, 

There is momentum in making our buildings a better place to live and work; you will find many examples in this newsletter. From the stories heard during our recent event in the European Parliament to the projects we are running in various countries, it becomes clear that individuals are making a difference in their communities. And policymakers can do their bit in creating the conditions, policies and instruments, so that individual initiatives are supported and can flourish. Getting the financing right is one of these measures, and our new country reports on Bulgaria and Romania provide the latest information about the national situation. We also recently looked in detail at another country, presenting our first national Buildings Climate Tracker for Italy, with some surprising results. 

Have a look at these new publications, and consider joining us for one of our upcoming events later this month, such as the final conference of the syn.ikia project which created four positive energy neighbourhoods. Truly inspiring! 

Best wishes, 

Oliver Rapf 
Executive Director 

What does it take to accelerate Europe’s renovation wave? A 600kg stone falling from a building? An earthquake damaging tens of thousands of homes?  

At the BPIE Changemakers and Policy Dialogue in the European Parliament, we heard from inspiring leaders who have turned major challenges into opportunities—transforming their communities through renovation. Their message is clear: renovated, healthy buildings represent a major opportunity for Europe. 

Changemakers Leading the Way 

Manuela Navarro, a retired secretary from Madrid, spearheaded the renovation of 80 buildings and 1,800 individually owned flats (with 107 more by 2026!), slashing heating bills by up to 92%. 

Anđelka Toto Ormuž (ROCKWOOL Group) highlighted how school renovations not only improve energy efficiency but also enhance student well-being, concentration, and learning outcomes. Healthy schools = better education, creativity, and productivity. 

Cecilia Hugony, CEO of Teicosgroup, demonstrated how participatory renovation processes create jobs, drive innovation, and accelerate the transformation of buildings and the construction sector. Under her leadership, Teicos grew from a turnover of €3 million to €57 million in just a few years, with an increasing number of women engineers and architects on board. 

Hélène de Troostembergh, a serial entrepreneur in serial renovation, showcased how offsite construction ensures fast results with minimal disruption—renovating a school from G to A class in just one summer! 

Scaling Local Success into EU Transformation 

As host MEP Thomas Pellerin-Carlin put it, Europe faces unprecedented challenges, but pragmatic optimism is key. We have a major opportunity to: 

• Become world leaders in construction innovation 

• Create local jobs and drive economic growth 

• Ensure better education and well-being for our children 

• Embed energy efficiency and circularity into housing affordability strategies 

• Increase resilience against climate change and natural disasters 

Policy Action for a Stronger Europe 

We must scale these local successes into transformative EU policies. A big thank you to Alejandro Ulzurrun (European Commission) & Benedetta Scuderi (The Greens/EFA) for their insights on the power of effective communication in driving change. 

Kudos to Thomas Pellerin-Carlin and Benedetta Scuderi for their commitment to raising the profile of building renovation in the European Parliament. And applause for Ciarán Cuffe for linking the state of the building stock to the housing crisis—highlighting that building renovation is an act of civic protection. Fire and earthquake safety, accessibility, and climate resilience must all be part of the bigger picture. 

Europe’s renovation story is a success waiting to unfold—a chance to build bridges and focus on what unites us rather than what divides us. 

Challenges and Required Improvements: 

• Accelerate CO₂ reduction to avoid higher future mitigation costs. 

• Expand renewable energy deployment for heating and cooling to reduce fossil fuel dependency. 

• Target renovations at worst-performing buildings to maximize efficiency gains and address energy poverty. 

• Ensure timely EPBD implementation to create an enabling policy framework for faster decarbonisation. 

Despite record renovation investments, Italy is not on track for its 2030 and 2050 climate targets. With the required decarbonisation rate increasing to 2.5 points annually from 2022 onwards, stronger policies and accelerated action are essential to avoid severe environmental and economic risks. 

Dear reader, 

This new year 2025 will have to be the year in which we as individuals and as society are making enormous strides in addressing the challenges which are staring at us. At BPIE we will do our share as a collaborative, inclusive and independent think tank anchored in Europe’s democratic values. The transition - we are convinced is necessary - is not a smooth ride. Its complexity can easily be exploited by populist and simplistic arguments, polarizing our communities and trying to halt positive change. Our response is to provide the better ideas and arguments. In this tradition, our recent publication supporting the implementation of the Buildings Directive provides evidence and recommendations for affordability and social acceptance of policies in member states. In Germany, we are advancing the debate with a set of recommendations how to create a national database of energy performance certificates, much needed to improve the country’s buildings performance. And our earlier German report on Environmental Product Declaration is now available in English. 

We also believe that direct exchange between citizens making the transition happen and policymakers will trigger the right solutions. Our Changemakers and Policy Dialogue on 5 February in the European Parliament will bring inspiring stories of positive change to the heart of European democracy. Registration is now closed but I hope you managed to secure a seat for the sold-out event. If not, look out for the report about it in a few weeks. 

I look forward to meeting many of you and intensifying our exchange and collaboration in these tumultuous times during this year. 

Best wishes, 

Oliver Rapf 
Executive Director 

Dear reader, 

Geopolitical dynamics and domestic priorities across Europe are set to influence the path towards decarbonisation and sustainability. Political uncertainties can feel daunting, but they also present opportunities for renewed commitment and innovative solutions. As Europe grapples with interconnected crises, the urgency for bold, collaborative action has never been more pressing. 

Our latest publications provide essential insights and actionable solutions to pressing issues. Prioritising the use of existing over new buildings can meet urgent housing needs, reduce emissions, and strengthen social connections, as we argue in this paper with inspiring case studies from across Europe. Meanwhile, Germany’s sluggish progress in decarbonising the building sector needs practical solutions. We are sharing many in the German Wärmewende report, learning from successful EU practices, particularly in heating transition efforts. 

A transparent and fair analysis of the societal and economic benefits of energy-efficient buildings is essential to fully capturing the long-term value of sustainable building practices. The EU’s way of analysing this is more than a decade old and up for an update. We therefore developed suggestions in this new report to better integrate these benefits in the so-called cost-optimality methodology which is current work-in-progress at the Commission. It’s time to update it, so that we don’t forget the benefits for Europe’s citizens. 

Together, our latest publications and activities highlight the need for bold, people-centred solutions that align climate goals with social equity. They reinforce that by working together and advocating for transformative policies, we can build a future that addresses both the climate crisis and the needs of our communities. I hope you find them inspirational. 

Kind regards, 

Oliver Rapf 

Executive Director 

Dear reader, 

The dynamics to transform Europe’s buildings are about to change. The announcement that the EU will soon have a Commissioner for Energy and Housing bears a big promise to solve the challenges of climate change, energy security and affordable, healthy buildings with concerted policymaking. We at BPIE are looking forward to the hearing of the Commissioner candidates in early November. We expect to hear how the EU will tackle these joint challenges in the coming years and how the construction industry could benefit from the announced Clean Industrial Deal to accelerate its decarbonisation efforts. 

In this context, a new report BPIE developed within the INDICATE project provides a regulatory ‘blueprint’ to help member states begin to quickly and efficiently measure global warming potential of buildings, in line with the EPBD’s 2028 mandate. This report is a goldmine for those interested in or working on whole life carbon policies or lifecycle analysis, providing not only detailed recommendations, but also numerous inspiring examples from frontrunners. 

Data is essential to guide policy, and the requirements to collect, store and analyse data in the built environment are increasing, rightly so. Our latest factsheet on Digital Building Logbooks takes stock of the situation and recommends solutions to manage the increasing data flood so that it supports a rapid transformation of our buildings. 

And while you will find many more innovative ideas in this newsletter, I am very excited to share the news about changes in BPIE’s Board with you! Not only do we have a new chairperson with Agneta Persson, former president of eceee, but we are also welcoming former MEP Ciarán Cuffe and Erica Hope from ECF as new Board members. These additions to our already strong Board will strengthen our work in the new legislative cycle in Brussels and in the member states for an effective implementation of policies to make our buildings fit for the future. 

Kind regards, 

Oliver Rapf 

Executive Director 

“Energy poverty is when people do not have the financial ability to maintain a constant, comfortable temperature in their homes” says Yevhen Malnev, from OHU.

In 2019, the number of Ukrainian citizens not being able to maintain comfortable temperatures reached 30%.

By March 2023, in just 3 months, the basements of ten houses were modernised: insulation of pipelines, replacement of lamps with energy-saving ones, installation of individual heat substations with weather regulation, provision of emergency lighting for ten hours and air conditioning – benefiting over 2200 residents.

“Many elderly people are now left on their own in their apartments, and the nearest bomb shelters are usually inaccessible for most of them.” says Yevhen Malnev from Odessa Housing Union. 

“But when a safe shelter was installed in the basements of their homes, it changed people’s mood, gave them a sense of security and faith that they can survive this war too.”