NEWS

The CEPI secretariat was pleased to participate on the 1st of June in the seminar organised by UIPI, the International Union of Property Owners, on the housing and multi-unit buildings sector in Europe. The seminar saw the participation of academics and officials from the European Commission who presented the current challenges facing this sector and the possible solutions proposed, such as the Affordable Housing Initiative.This meeting also saw the direct participation of CEPI Director and Treasurer Mrs Claudine Speltz, who took part in a panel dedicated to sharing expertise to improve the housing sector.

You can find the detailed programme of the event at this link here.

The event, co-organised by Leonardo Energy, BPIE - Buildings Performance Insititute Europe and the European Copper Insitute, delved into the potential of wastewater heat recovery (WWHR), as an excellent example of the energy efficiency first principle at home.

According to the speakers, WWHR is a cost-efficient energy-efficiency solution that should also be better addressed in the EPBD (Energy Performance of Buildings Directive). In fact, while energy efficiency and renewables are often under the limelight, energy recovered by wastewater is to be considered as "regenerated" energy. Speakers, therefore, discussed not only the potential savings that can be reached by implementing WWHR systems but also, what the potential could be in integrating recovered energy into the calculation of the energy performance of buildings.

During the event, interventions also focused on WWHR benefits depending on the climate zone for implementation, and the new EN-EPB standards were also presented. Speakers of the event, moderated by the Director of the green and healthy buildings at the European Copper Insititute, Mr Quentin de Hults, included: Mr Pavel Sevela, from the University of Innsbruck, and Mr Laurent Socal, from the EPB- Center Expert (energy performance of building standards.

The recording and slides shared during the event will be soon made available by the organisers.

On Thursday, the 13th of April 2023, the CEPI Secretariat followed the webinar of URSA, presented by Arch. Daniela Cardace, the technical contact person at URSA, on the topic " TOWARDS THE NEW EPBD, ENERGY REQUALIFICATION, URSA SYSTEMS AND SOLUTIONS ".

The webinar was in Italian, with the option of subtitles in different languages. To consult the recording of the event, please visit here.

On Tuesday 14th March 2023 the CEPI Secretariat followed the first webinar of the Zero-Emission Buildings Academy, presented by Ph.D. student Elisabeth Zeyen (TU Berlin) on the topic ‘BUILDINGS IN A HIGHLY RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEM: IT’S ALL ABOUT PEAK DEMAND’.

With regard to the EPBD and its goal of achieving a Zero Emission Building stock by 2050, CEPI attended the first webinar by the Zero-Emission Buildings Academy, organized by ECTP and launched in partnership with Leonardo Energy, BPIE (Buildings Performance Institute Europe), and ECI (European Copper Institute). Each webinar is dedicated to experts addressing specific sustainable building-related topics.

The webinar focused on a research study previously released by Ph.D. student Elisabeth Zeyen from the Berlin Institute of Technology. The study analyzes measures to mitigate the heating demand during peak season in Europe in a cost- and emission-efficient manner. It is the first study that optimizes supply efficiency and costs, including all European countries.” To consult the recording of the event, please visit here.

On March 14, during the vote held in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs adopted draft measures to increase the renovation rate in the Union and reduce energy consumption as outlined in the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. The Parliament adopted its position on the file by 343 votes to 216, and 78 abstentions. Members of the European Parliament will now enter into negotiations with the Council to agree on the final text of the EU law.

CEPI timely communicated to lawmakers and other stakeholders involved its position on the Rapporteur’s report as adopted by the ITRE Committee on February 9. Our latest position on this important piece of legislation for the building sector is available here.

The CEPI Policy team will keep a close eye on further developments on this file to make sure the right balance between ambitions and realism is achieved for a greener and more efficient building stock.

With this draft legislation now arriving at a crucial step in the negotiation process before the proposed Directive becomes law, it is important to reiterate that real estate professionals support the fight against climate change and hence the effort into decarbonising the building stock. However, there remains ample margin for possible improvement in a number of key issues in the current text of the Directive. With this paper, we offer our views and expertise on those points.

Real estate professionals have a key role to play as an interface between energy experts and the consumer. The expertise and experience of real estate agents and property managers enable them to contribute to the debate on how to achieve energy-efficient savings by focusing on how to get the best results in the renovation of buildings. CEPI’s revised statement on the revision of the EPBD is available in the publications section of our website. You can also read the full text here.

The panel discussion around the EPBD was an opportunity for stakeholders from different sectors to get together and discuss the EPBD from several different angles. The text of this important framework Directive is now approaching the final vote of the Parliament in mid-March while the Council already agreed on this approach. It is vital that the last improvements to the law at the parliamentary level are made before going into negotiations with Member States.

Speakers agreed on the great opportunity offered by the EPBD to not only decarbonize the building sector but also fight energy poverty and intimately, climate change.

The panel discussions included expert speakers from the private sector and the Institutions.  For more information, please visit here.

The ICREDM 2023 conference is the first of its kind in the country. This year’s edition of the conference enlisted speakers from both the public and the private sector, including academics, managers, international partners and more. Topics of the many panels which took place during the four-days conference enlisted, among others, land management and administration, real estate and asset valuation, regulation, and technology.

CEPI’s Public Policy Manager, Ms Marchegiani, delivered a speech on the role of real estate associations in market transparency and the CEPI activities, which was followed by the interesting intervention of our Turkish member, GAPAS.

To know more about the conference, please visit: here.

The event, moderated by Ms Christine Lemaitre from the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) offered an interesting perspective on the EU taxonomy and its practical implications for the building and infrastructure sector. Speakers offered clear explanations of the key principles of what the EU taxonomy is, its purpose and how it works in practice, with a view also on potential future developments and what the current gaps are to tackle in order to ensure market alignment with this important tool. Benefits and challenges were examined at length by the speakers, notably: Ms Josefina Lindblom from the Directorate General Environment, European Commission, Ms Carolina Montano-Owen, PhD World Green Building Council, Mr Ben Allen, from the Institute for European Environmental Policies, Mr Fernando Sigchos Jiménez, Secretary General at the European Builders Confederation, and Ms Alexandra Quint from Assiduus. The recording and slides presented during the talk will be made available by the organisers soon. CEPI members can ask for more details from the Secretariat.

Speakers exchanged views about the Energy Efficiency Directive, the Energy Performance in Building Directive (recast) and the current situation in the CE region (Central and Eastern Europe). The importance of energy-efficient renovation of the existing building stock was underlined as a key tool not only to navigate the current global climate crisis but to also offer a boost to innovation and the economy. Focus was also put on the rebuilding process that will hopefully soon, at the end of the war, take place in Ukraine and which should make sure the reconstruction effort will not follow the old and inefficient patterns, but should also listen to the needs of the Ukrainian partners, while efficient and expert partnerships between Ukraine and the EU should be built now. This will be investigated in more detail at the C4E conference in May. For more information please visit: here.

Speakers of the event, moderated by Ms Katarína Nikodemová - Buildings for the Future, included: Mr Adiran Joice - Renovate Europe, MEP Mr Martin Hojsik, Ms Anne Weidenbach - European Commission, Mr Petr Holub - Buildings21, Mr Oliver Rapf - BPIE, Buildings Performance Institute.

The document has been published by the IPMSC, a coalition of 88 property organisations representing hundreds of thousands of property professionals globally, including CEPI, and has been drafted by an independent group of 18 experts from 11 countries.

The document provides the foundation for incorporation and adoption of building measurement conventions in different global jurisdictions and facilitates the interface between the major differences in the historic conventions of those. “IPMS All Assets” (called also, IPMS All Buildings) supersedes all previously published IPMSC standards for individual asset classes by utilising the concepts and objectives contained in those specific versions of IPMS into one harmonised standard.

On the finalization of this vital document, Mr Paul Bagust, Head of Property Standards at RICS and Chair of the IPMS Coalition stated “consistent measurement to enable effective decision making and benchmarking has never been more critical. This standard is the result of many years hard work and commitment from organisations all around the world who have come together with a shared purpose. It will be invaluable to all those working in the built environment”.

The document is available at International Property Measurement Standards (IPMS) | Driving consistency;

Speakers debated around open real-estate funds, also known as real estate investment trusts (REIT), which have demonstrated to be of more and more interest to investors recently. REITs are publicly traded closed-end investment companies that invest in managed diversified portfolios of real estate or real estate mortgages/construction loans. There is no doubt real estate has considerable potential for energy savings and limiting co2 emissions. Nevertheless, investment strategies seem not to yet fully take risks and opportunities linked to climate change fully into account, while sustainability and ESG (environmental, social and governance) strategies are increasingly important to enable the full potential of energy savings and emission reductions in the building sector, finally achieving the carbon neutrality goal by 2050. REIT could play a significant role in financing funds that still need to align with these concepts. The webinar delved into how REIT can contribute to climate goals and showcased good examples, such as for example the CRREM - Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor tool to help the industry decarbonise, and other green/circular projects relating to real estate.

Speakers of the event: Mr Adrien Bullier, Senior Project Adviser, CINEA, Mr Silke Bernard, Global Head of Investment Funds Practice, Linklaters Lux, Mr Erik Van Den Broeck, Partner, BDO Brussels, Mr Frédéric Van der Planken, CEO, Whitewood Green Real Estate Fund, Mr Raluca Carp Hengy, Managing Director, KPMG Luxembourg, Mr Murray Birt, Senior ESC Strategist, DWS Group.

The recording and slides of the event will be soon made available by the organizer. CEPI members can contact the Secretariat if they wish to receive those.

On Tuesday, the 26^th of September, the CEPI Secretariat attended the online event organised by Euractiv and supported by PKEE (Polish Electricity Association) to discuss district heating and its role in helping to meet EU's climate neutrality targets.

Speakers of the event, moderated by Mr Dave Keating, included: Mr Madis Laaniste (Policy Officer for Energy Efficiency, DG ENER, European Commission), Mr Radan Kanev (MEP, Substitute ENVI Committee, European Parliament), Mr Julien Joubert (Project Manager, Energy systems and planning, Energycities) and Ms Dorota Jeziorowska (Director, PTEZ). 

The discussion focused on the current challenges facing the effective achievement of the goals under the "Fit for 55" Package, especially on the decarbonisation goals, as well as possible solutions proposed.  

According to the speakers, the district heating systems should definitely be kept under attention in the specific pieces of legislation on which the EU institutions are working, such as the EPBD (Energy Performance of Buildings Directive) and the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED). Speakers not only touched upon the different trends and approaches existing in EU Member States on district heating but also talked about the implications for local authorities from a financial and technical point of view.  

Some other interventions pointed to the importance of engaging citizens in the process of decarbonisation of district heating systems at national level and to the way of implementation of the "Fit for 55" Package across the EU (which will depend on the different resources available in each country).

You can find the re-diffusion of the debate by clicking here.