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Greening Social Housing - Case Studies from around the EU:

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Listen to the key outcomes of the POWER HOUSE EUROPE Final event held on 12 September 2011 in Brussels!

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Listen to Commissioner Connie Hedegaard explaining why the EU should invest in Energy Efficiency and what can be done!

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Listen to MEP Claude Turmes calling for the need for public funding to address energy poverty in the EU!

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Energy Efficiency in Housing: "No country in Europe can afford to sit back and say We've got this sorted" David Orr, former CECODHAS Housing Europe President

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POWER HOUSE EUROPE is an initiative coordinated by CECODHAS HOUSING EUROPE:

CECODHAS Housing Europe is the federation of public, cooperative & social housing, a network of national and regional social housing federations including 4.500 public, voluntary housing organisations and 28.000 housing cooperatives. Together, the 45 members in 19 EU members States manage 25 million dwellings.

CECODHAS Housing Europe members work together for a Europe that provides access to decent and affordable housing for all in communities which are socially, economically and environmentally sustainable and where all are enabled to reach their full potential.

POWER HOUSE EUROPE is partner of:

The BUILD UP initiative is designed to promote existing knowledge, guidelines, tools and best practices for energy-saving measures in buildings across Europe. At the same time, it informs and updates the market about the legislative framework in terms of goals, practical implications and future revisions.

The Covenant of Mayors is the mainstream European movement involving local and regional authorities, voluntarily committing to increasing energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources on their territories. By their commitment, Covenant signatories aim to meet and exceed the European Union 20% CO2 reduction objective by 2020.

The Sustainable Energy Europe Campaign is a European Commission initiative in the framework of the Intelligent Energy - Europe programme, which aims to raise public awareness and promote sustainable energy production and use among individuals and organisations, private companies and public authorities, professional and energy agencies, industry associations and NGOs across Europe.

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CECODHAS Housing Europe’s position on the Energy Efficiency Directive:

On 28th February, the European Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy approved the requirement on Member States to renovate the buildings owned by public authorities and public bodies (2.5% of the area per year instead of 3% proposed by the European Commission) with a total useable area of more than 250m2 by January 2014, or find alternative ways to achieve equivalent savings.

CECODHAS Housing Europe stresses that in contrast to public authorities, public bodies covered by the obligation of thermal renovation, do not have the ability to self-grant public funds to finance these huge investments. Additionally in the case of public housing, there is often no way to recover investments due to rent regulation and low-income of tenants. It is also important to note that energy service contracting model, while promising, has yet to prove itself to be a valid option in the housing sector. This legal obligation of thermal renovation established by the EU therefore only makes sense if it is accompanied by an obligation to make funding available.

Housing Europe in this regard welcomes the report's proposal to encourage member states to develop systems and tools of public and private funding for investment. But this simple incentive is insufficient because it does not introduce any legal obligation, enforceable in the EU, for example in terms of creating a green investment fund guaranteed by the EU and priority allocation of ERDF for energy investments under such a legal obligation. Housing Europe calls on MEPs to rebalance this legal obligation to invest with a legal obligation to make available EU funding, including the priority allocation of structural funds for 2014-2020 and the creation a dedicated investment fund.

Claire Roumet, Secretary General, CECODHAS Housing Europe

What's New?

14. May 2012

Energy efficiency in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries - Overview of policies and good practices

Type of Publication | Report

Abstract : MEDENER, the Mediterranean network of national agencies for energy management, has produced this brochure outlining the policies and actions of the South and East countries in the region (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordania, Lebanon, Libya, Marocco, Palestinian Territories, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey) ...

14. May 2012

A positive energy concept house inaugurated near Lyon (France)

Type of News | News from countries

Abstract : This zero CO2 emissions concept house produces more energy than it needs to cover all uses for housing and an electric car has been built by Maisons France Confort near Lyon (France). This one level building has a living area of 164 m2 and includes a living room of 60 m2, a kitchen, two ...

14. May 2012

Where is the consumer in the Energy Efficiency Directive?

Type of News | News from the EU

Abstract : Consumers will not be able to cut their energy consumption unless the energy efficiency directive creates a framework for smart meter feedback, accurate bills and information campaigns, argues Monique Goyens, Director General of The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC).

14. May 2012

Energy efficiency deal 'possible' by July 2012

Type of News | News from the EU

Abstract : The Energy Efficiency Directive is likely to become reality under the Danish EU Presidency, which ends on 1 July, according to a European Commission official who has drafted the bill. The announcement came amid warnings from green campaigners, who say the amended text is too weak.

10. May 2012

Only a few months until Solar Decathlon Europe!

Type of News | News from the EU, Other news

Abstract : In a few months’ time one can visit the world´s most innovative homes in Madrid. The final phase of Solar Decathlon Europe, an international competition between university teams to promote research in the development of efficient houses, will take place.

Key Documents:

30. November 2011

POWER HOUSE EUROPE: a story of mobilisation towards a people-centred sustainable EU energy transition

The completion of the POWER HOUSE EUROPE project by no means marks the end of the energy transition within the social housing sector; however it has helped to sow the seeds. This report provides information to housing organisations on how they can make use of the resources and tools developed within the POWER HOUSE EUROPE framework.

Bearing in mind that the most time-consuming part of the work done within POWER HOUSE EUROPE has been the on the networking and partnership work at National/Regional Platforms level, this report also outlines some of the success stories resulting from these activities and gives some of the examples of those partnerships which will be vital to ensure the transition to green social housing throughout the EU.

Please click HERE to download "POWER HOUSE EUROPE: a story of mobilisation towards a people-centred sustainable EU energy transition".

14. September 2011

Feedback from the established POWER HOUSE EUROPE Platforms

This short report gives highlights on the impact National/Regional POWER HOUSE Platforms are having around the EU and updates on the issues facing Public, Cooperative and Social Housing providers in their quest to future proof the homes they build and manage in the face of erratic energy prices, climate change and constrained public budgets.

Forewords from Vít Vanícek (CECODHAS Housing Europe President), Claire Roumet (CECODHAS Housing Europe Secretary General) and Marco Corradi (Chair of the Energy Experts Network) put the POWER HOUSE EUROPE initiative in the broader context of the mobilisation towards an energy transition involving policies, technologies, markets, finance and in particular, people.

Please click HERE to download the "Feedback from POWER HOUSE EUROPE Platforms".

6. May 2010

Cross-country needs analysis of European Social, Cooperative and Public housing organizations

We asked local cooperative and social housing organizations throughout the EU what it would take to help them to radically reduce energy consumption and increase the use of renewable energy in the homes they build, own and manage.
We asked them to outline what they perceive to be the key challenges and the main obstacles blocking progress in this field. Over 300 organisations did take the time to provide feedback.

The representativity of the sample means that the challenges and solutions shared between the organizations will potentially cover the whole spectrum of Europe’s energy and housing issues in terms of financial resources, ownership structures, climate, stock characteristics and buildings traditions.

The needs differ greatly between providers depending on their size, location, legal status, in-house staff profiles; however there were a number of cross-cutting issues that figured highly in the list of obstacles.

Please click HERE to download the "Cross-country needs analysis".

17. December 2009

The Offer to fight Climate Change from Europe’s Cooperative and Social Housing providers

In partnership with energy producers, citizens, professionals & local authorities and with appropriate funding & legislation social and cooperative housing can accelerate refurbishment rates to achieve optimal energy performance in 8 million homes between 2010 & 2020.

Social and cooperative housing makes up 12% of the EU’s housing stock, if 4% of stock is refurbished annually, backed up with a sustained change in residents’ behaviour, this can help deliver 30% reduction in energy consumption by 2020.

The Copenhagen Offer explains more in details what is the potential and the missing strategies to reach a refurbishment rate of a million dwellings annually, representing the creation of almost 350.000 jobs across Europe each year.

Please click HERE to download the "CECODHAS Copenhagen Offer".

13. November 2009

Briefing on EU Financing Opportunities for Energy Efficiency in Housing

A needs analysis survey conducted within the CECODHAS showed that lack of sufficient finance is one of the main obstacles preventing social and cooperative housing organisation from improving the energy performance of their stock.

Deciding to invest in energy efficiency in the existing housing stock makes economic, social and environmental sense. There are a number of financial opportunities resulting from EU budget regulatory changes and new or adapted funding and lending programmes worth to be considered.

This briefing will help cooperative and social housing providers to evaluate the potential interest of new developments by giving examples of successful, innovative financial schemes already in place and by providing additional sources of information and contacts.

Please click HERE to download the "Briefing on EU Financing Opportunities".