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Tackling Energy Poverty in Europe: time to renovate buildings!

How can we ensure Europe’s legislation effectively addresses energy poverty through renovation? The case of multi-family apartment buildings in CEE Europe 

Date: 24 January 2024, 9:30 – 17:00 CET 

Location: Committee of the Regions (Avenue Belliard, 99-101, Brussels) 

In 2023, 41 million EU citizens (9.3% of the population) couldn’t afford proper heating due to a cost-of-living crisis and soaring energy costs. Countries located in Central and Eastern Europe are particularly affected by energy poverty. The housing stock is old, and highly energy consuming. With a high share of ownership in multi-family apartment buildings, the process of renovating buildings is complex and can be very difficult to coordinate.   

Communities need to be better accompanied by local one-stop-shops and robust financial and technical tools. With the recent discussions on key EU legislations and the EPBD coming to an agreement at the end of 2023, now is a crucial moment to start reflecting on how they can be effectively implemented to ensure support for climate mitigation and building renovation in CEE countries.  

Organised as part of the ComAct project, this event is targeted to EU and Member States policymakers, local authorities as well as anyone having an interest in tackling energy poverty through building renovation in Europe. Join us on January 24th, to be part of this critical conversation and contribute to a resilient, energy-efficient future for Central and Eastern Europe. 

The event will take place in English. If you cannot attend in person, the event will be streamed online here).

REGISTER HERE

AGENDA

09:30 – 10:00  Welcome and morning coffee

10:00 – 10:15  Short video on the ComAct project

10:15 – 10:30 Welcoming words from the project coordinator – Zita Kakalejcikova, Habitat for Humanity International

10:30 – 11:15 Three pillars for boosting building renovation – lessons learned from the ComAct project.

• Liljana Alceva, Deputy Director, Habitat for Humanity Macedonia
• Dragomir Tzanev, Executive Director, Center for Energy Efficiency, EnEffect
• Jasmin Gabela, Senior Consultant, ENOVA
• Louise Sunderland, Managing Principal, Regulatory Assistance Project
• Hanna Szemzo, Managing Director, Metropolitan Research Institute – moderator.

11:15 – 11:45  Short coffee break – networking

11:45 – 12:45 First roundtable: Empowering local and national citizen action. How to strengthen local communities? Followed by Q&A 

• Kestutis Kupsys, Vice President of the Lithuanian Consumer Alliance, Member of the European Economic and Social Committee – moderator.
• Eglė Randytė, Managing Director, Vilnius City Building Renovation
• Adam Pustelnik, Deputy Mayor of the City of Łódź
• Marine Cornelis, Executive Director, Next Energy Consumer
• Anna Iafisco, Policy Officer – Housing and Just Transition, EUROCITIES

12:45 – 14:00 Lunch break – networking

14:00 – 14:45 Second roundtable: How do EU requirements and obligations for renovation align with realities on the ground? Followed by Q&A

• Oliver Rapf, Executive Director, Buildings Performance Institute Europe – moderator. 
• Éva Gerőházi, Senior Researcher, Metropolitan Research Institute
• Eva Brardinelli, Buildings Policy Coordinator, Climate Action Network Europe
• Stefan Moser, Head of Unit, Directorate-General for Energy, European Commission  

14:45 – 15:15 Coffee break

15:15 – 16:15 Third policy roundtable: How to finance energy renovation for energy poor communities? Followed by Q&A

• Caroline Milne, Head of Communications, Buildings Performance Institute Europe – moderator.
• Dragomir Tzanev, Executive Director, Center for Energy Efficiency EnEffect
• Elena Donnari, Policy Officer, Directorate-General for Energy
• Ralf Goldmann, Head of Division, Projects Directorate, Energy Efficiency and Energy Advisory, European Investment Bank
• Slavica Robic, Assistant Managing Director, North-West Croatia Regional Energy and Climate Agency
• Nicholas Stancioff, Director, Funding for Future

16:15 – 16:30 Closing speech, Besim Nebiu, Director, Habitat for Humanity International