Adrian Joyce
How to go faster and further on building renovation to sever ties with Russia
Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted the EU to start getting serious about its energy policy and cut its reliance on Russia. To do that, building renovation must be a priority in the EU's REPowerEU Action Plan, due in May, writes Adrian Joyce.
Better data needed to manage our buildings
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) have immense, as-yet untapped potential to help Europe decarbonise. But the methodology that underpins them must be revamped first, argues Adrian Joyce, who is calling for a reform as part of the upcoming revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD).
A piecemeal approach on energy standards for buildings won’t work
Decarbonising Europe’s building stock requires robust Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS), not a piecemeal approach that fails to regulate buildings that are ripe for renovation projects, writes Adrian Joyce.
No more time for half-measures on renovation
In times of climate crisis, it is no longer acceptable that our buildings swallow up so much of the limited energy resources and leave our citizens so vulnerable to energy price hikes, writes Adrian Joyce.
Enlighten the Climate Law with energy efficiency first!
Europe must take the fastest and most cost-effective route towards a carbon-neutral EU, write Adrian Joyce and Julie Kjestrup. And that means starting where the potential is biggest: buildings.
Capturing the untapped benefits of deep energy renovation
As the European Green Deal takes shape, it bears repeating that the state of EU buildings holds the potential to make or break whatever energy, emissions and environmental targets are set in the coming months, writes Adrian Joyce.
Time to address Europe’s hot and cold homes crisis
Most European countries have significant energy poverty problems and are unable to keep their citizens warm during winter. In fact, that applies as much to cooling as to heating, writes Adrian Joyce.
Commission must not take its eye off the ball for decarbonisation by 2050
The European Commission will need clarity, nerve and vision to chart a decarbonisation path to 2050 that addresses the nearly 40% of Europe’s emissions that currently come from buildings, writes Adrian Joyce.
Please don’t let climate targets be (deliberately) misunderstood
The agreements on the various parts of the EU clean energy package were hard fought, but their signing marks the beginning of the battle to implement them, as much as it does the end of the struggle to agree them, argues Adrian Joyce.
Croatia’s renovation projects can teach us as much as their football
What do Croatia’s football team and its energy efficiency programmes have in common? Experience, skill, tenacity and an inspiring amount of success, writes Adrian Joyce.
‘Efficiency First’ will deliver – let’s start with renovating our buildings
There is a simple truth about EU climate policy: If it does not put energy efficiency first, it will not meet its objectives cost-effectively. And if it does not try to do that, it may not meet them at all, writes Adrian Joyce.
Building renovation can become ‘Europe’s biggest jobs programme’
The EU’s next long-term budget for 2021-2027 offers a unique opportunity to demonstrate the tangible benefits that EU policies and funding can deliver to citizens on the ground, argues Adrian Joyce.
Renovation is about more than just energy savings
The multiple benefits of building renovation programmes include known advantages in terms of reduced energy bills and job creation. But less is known about other benefits like avoided healthcare costs, and even higher exam success rates for students, writes Adrian Joyce.
Paris Agreement under threat as member states water down building performance measures
While President Trump is grabbing world headlines by publicly trashing the Paris climate agreement, EU member states are also trying to sabotage this deal by watering down measures in the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and Energy Efficiency Directive (EED), writes Adrian Joyce.