Considerable research has been conducted in recent years on how to make the EU’s building stock compatible with the goal of climate neutrality. After much deliberation and debate, there is a growing consensus among researchers, industry experts and policymakers concerning the necessary components of a climateneutral EU buildings sector. While the required actions are many, they can be categorized into four topic areas: building envelopes; heating & cooling; building materials; and smart electrification. In other words, the transformation of the EU building stock to climateneutrality will entail not one transition, but four. This paper takes stock of each of these four transitions in the context of the European Green Deal to identify where we stand in delivering on them and which legislative proposals in discussion could help the EU achieve its medium and long-term goals for decarbonizing the building sector.
In short, it sets Agora benchmarks for success for the transformation of the buildings sector in the European Green Deal.
