Let’s start with the numbers: did you know that 40% of Europe’s energy use goes into heating, cooling and powering the buildings in which we live and work? And that our buildings produce 36% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions? This is a staggering proportion, and it shows that reducing the energy consumption of our buildings is critical if we want to act for the climate. When it comes to making construction more sustainable, ambitious policies along with public and private investment can be a game-changer. But in the meantime, we can all contribute by making our homes more energy efficient.

More than 220 million buildings in Europe date from before 2001. Older buildings are much less efficient at retaining warmth and as a result, 75% of the EU’s building stock leaks energy. To address this, as part of the European Green Deal, the EU aims to give around 35 million buildings across Europe an energy facelift. To help us with this ‘renovation wave,’ the EU will be providing incentives and investments, in addition to encouraging national governments, private investors, architects, designers and local communities to get involved. This will not only reduce emissions and improve the life for people using the buildings, but also create new jobs in the construction sector. And energy bills will likely get cheaper too.

So how can you join the trend? Here are some ideas on how to make your older building more energy efficient, and which green elements to look out for in a newly-built property.

Older can still be greener

One solution is to carry out renovations on your home, such as adding roof insulation or double-glazed windows to ensure you don’t lose heat. There is an upfront cost, but the long-term reward will be lower energy bills. You could also look into renewable heating and cooling technologies like heat pumps and solar heating systems to lower the emissions generated year-round.

This is what Céline Seince, a French Climate Pact Ambassador, did. Céline is also coordinator of RURENER, a European network of rural communities committed to the green energy transition (...)

Five simple ways to make your home into a greener building:

• Install a smart meter, which can be programmed to ensure that heating only comes on in certain rooms and at certain times of the day when it is really needed.
• Choose thick curtains and blinds, which can prevent heat loss in the winter and deflect sunlight to keep your home cooler in summer.
• Invest in energy efficient light bulbs, which will save you money on your energy bills.
• Seal cracks and gaps in your home, and place draught excluders under doors to prevent heat from escaping.
• Bleed your radiators once per year to ensure that they are working effectively, and install radiator foil behind them to reflect heat away from the wall and back into the room.

Read the full article here.