Brussels, September 2015 – The Energy Efficiency Industrial Forum (EEIF), representing European industries that provide a full range of energy efficient products and services, welcomes the European Commission’s efforts in making sure that energy efficiency is at the heart of the Energy Union framework, and calls for Energy Efficiency First to be integrated as the overarching theme into the European heating & cooling strategy.
Energy Efficiency not only generates major societal benefits, it also creates direct and indirect jobs, contributing instantly to Europe’s competitiveness. Given that the heating and cooling of buildings represents the largest share of EU energy demand – nearly 70 % – applying the Energy Efficiency First principle across the sector will help achieve the Union’s energy security and climate objectives, foster innovation, and enable end-users to benefit economically from smarter energy management practices.
As an example, according to the IEA [1], if EU countries were to fully exploit the potential of energy efficiency, overall GDP would grow by up to 1.1 % per year. The European Commission estimated additional GDP growth of up to 4.45 % by 2030 if 40 % energy savings could be achieved [2].
Andrea Voigt, Director General of EPEE, convenor of the EEIF stated: "To fully embrace the potential of Energy Efficiency First, the EEIF calls for a holistic approach to the European strategy on heating & cooling”.
This process would be accelerated on the one hand by actions to improve the efficiency of heating & cooling systems via design, modernization, maintenance and control technologies, and on the other hand by well-designed construction and renovation measures on the building envelope such as insulation, windows and the latest ventilation techniques.
In order to develop an effective strategy, the EU needs to adopt a holistic approach in which the cost effective savings potentials from contributing sectors are assessed, alongside a mapping of the current state of the production and consumption of heat, heating & cooling across the Member States.
To the press release here
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[1] IEA: Capturing the Multiple Benefits of Energy Efficiency (2014)
[2] Commission Communication (2014) 520: Energy Efficiency and its contribution to energy security and the 2030 Framework for climate and energy policy (2014)