Sep 27 2005
A worrying picture of the widespread waste of energy from dilapidated housing in postenlargement Europe has been revealed in a new report.
The findings, set out in a new report from Ecofys, a leading European institute for energy and environment, warn of the consequences for EU citizens in these countries of the dangerous mix of poor housing, reduced subsidies for heating and rapidly rising energy prices. The report does however show a way out of the impending crisis as it demonstrates that simple and effective energy efficiency measures can both save energy (the equivalent of 800,000 barrels of oil a day once the measures are fully implemented in all buildings), save money (370 million EURO a year by 2010, rising to nearly 1 billion EURO a year by 2015) whilst creating jobs (the equivalent of 230,000 full time jobs based on EURIMA’s estimation).
In the newest EU Member States, buildings account for 40% of all energy use. This is the same figure as for the EU 15, however energy use per square metre is 25% higher in the new Member States, due in large part to lower levels of thermal insulation.
Horst Biedermann, Director General of EURIMA, explained, “Our daily waste of energy from badly insulated buildings is unfortunately nothing new. However, what we are faced with here is nothing short of an imminent environmental and social crisis. Governments were once willing and able to subsidise energy costs in the new Member States. However, this is no longer possible or desirable, particularly as energy prices sky rocket. Predictably, the casualties of rising fuel prices and badly insulated housing will be the poor, the elderly and the vulnerable of Europe.”
The report by Ecofys does, however, demonstrate that if a comprehensive renovation program was launched, that by 2010 the total savings for the new Member States would be 370 million EURO a year rising to almost 1 billion EURO a year by 2015. Better housing, warmer homes and reduced carbon dioxide emissions in the order of 14 million tonnes a year would come for free.
Commenting on this opportunity to turn this crisis into a success story, Horst Biedermann explained, “To unlock these savings will take upfront investments, investments that many in the new Member States simply cannot make. EURIMA is therefore calling for EU structural and cohesion funding to be targeted for these actions.” Biedermann continued, “In an EU where we struggle to balance an aggressive growth agenda with a focus on environmental and social factors, such a renovation programme is a must.”