Brussels, 14 September 2024 – BPIE (Buildings Performance Institute Europe) is thrilled to announce the appointment of Agneta Persson as Chair of the Board of Directors, along with two new board members, former MEP Ciarán Cuffe and Erica Hope. Together, they bring a wealth of experience in climate adaptation and mitigation strategies for buildings, climate policy and sustainable urban development, further enhancing BPIE’s mission to drive transformative change in Europe’s building sector. 

Agneta Persson, Technical Director of Anthesis Sweden and former President of the European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (eceee), succeeds Julian Popov, who served for almost a full decade, as Chair. With more than 40 years of experience in technology procurement, sustainable energy, and urban development, she has led numerous European and national climate projects.

I’m honoured to take on the role of BPIE Chair at such a pivotal moment, Agneta said. With the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) in place, our focus must now shift to robust implementation. As the European Commission sets its priorities for 2024-2029, it’s essential to ensure building decarbonisation stays central to Europe’s climate agenda.

Joining Agneta on the board is Ciarán Cuffe, a former Member of the European Parliament and a leading voice in EU climate and energy policy. With experience in urban planning and energy policy, including his role as outgoing President of EUFORES, Ciarán has been instrumental in advancing Europe’s most ambitious green building legislation. 

As rapporteur for the EPBD, I’ve seen its transformative potential, Ciarán commented. The challenge now is implementation. I’m excited to join BPIE and support its thought leading activities in Brussels and beyond.

Erica Hope, who leads the European Climate Foundation’s Climate Governance programme, brings her nonprofit expertise in climate policy, governance, and citizen engagement. A former energy efficiency policy advocate, she has a strong track record in shaping governance frameworks to achieve net-zero goals, and has co-founded the European Climate Neutrality Observatory (ECNO) and the Knowledge Network on Climate Assemblies (KNOCA).

Reflecting on her new role, Erica stated

A positive climate transition depends on effective, fairly-delivered decarbonisation of buildings. I’m honoured to contribute my experience in bridging the gap between economy-wide governance frameworks, buildings policy and citizen engagement to BPIE’s strategic evolution.

Oliver Rapf, BPIE’s Executive Director, added: “I am delighted to welcome Agneta, Ciarán, and Erica to our board. Their leadership and expertise will be critical as we continue to tackle the building sector’s challenges and drive Europe’s transition to a climate-neutral future.’