Dramatically improved energy efficiency in buildings is both achievable and economically desirable. However,
- low awareness of the environmental impact of buildings;
- the sector’s complexity, fragmentation, and lack of genuine champions;
- lack of know-how and experience in green construction;
- lack of financial instruments to reward energy efficiency; and
- life styles that are not focussed on energy saving;
threaten our ability to achieve the efficiency savings potential, and our ability to address other,
related goals like climate change mitigation, and our economic well being.
At the Quaker Council for European Affairs, we believe the energy savings potential continues to be greatly underutilised, with the public particularly underestimated for their impact to deliver on energy policy. We also believe that innovative methods must be developed so as to address the issues of information and financing for end-users more directly. Most important is to ensure a profound, sustainable, long-term development towards much better energy efficiency, as a continuation of our middling, short-term outcomes is unlikely to lead to sustainable results.
Read QCEA’s consultation response (PDF – 49 Kb)
Results of the Consultation
The Commission published a report in September 2012 on the submissions to the consultation, you can download it by clicking here. (PDF – 78kb)