Which sector do you think consumes the most energy in Europe?

You may be surprised to hear that it’s buildings.

They also account for around a third

of the EU’s energy-related greenhouse gas emissions.

Most of our buildings are energy-inefficient,

which makes us use and waste too much energy in heating and cooling.

And the way we heat and cool buildings is often outdated and polluting.

However, the EU has a plan in place to help Europe become

the first climate-neutral continent by 2050,

and zero-emission buildings will play a key role.

They use solutions such as modern insulation,

heat pumps, and smart energy management to significantly reduce

how much energy is required for the same needs.

They also use renewable energy, instead of fossil fuels,

for efficient heating and cooling,

lowering greenhouse gas emissions, improving air quality,

and lifting Europe’s burden to import energy from outside of the EU.

By 2030, all new constructions in the EU must be zero-emission buildings.

Then, by 2050, Europe’s existing stock of buildings will steadily be transformed

into a zero-emission building stock,

supported by national building renovation plans that EU countries are working on.

While weather conditions may be different across the continent,

our goal remains the same:

for buildings to use cleaner energy, and consume less.

This opens the door to new jobs,

independence from fossil fuels,

and reduced energy bills.

Zero-emission buildings are the new European standard,

for the benefit of all Europeans.