Building renovation is key to achieving EU and national climate targets. Fortunately, the importance of achieving a highly energy efficient and decarbonised building stock is becoming more widely understood. However, several gaps remain. Despite more financial resources becoming available for municipal renovations, challenges exist for public authorities in convincing policy makers and the public of the overall socio-economic benefits of renovation.

The Build Upon² Framework provides a multi-level renovation impact framework to help European cities decarbonise their building stock, and measure the full benefits of building retrofits, including environmental, social and economic impacts such as carbon savings, energy poverty alleviation and job creation.

Technical assistance is an under-utilised tool to close this gap, with the ability to link resources with projects and facilitate the implementation of energy efficiency renovations. Matching available financial resources with the projects is essential and currently lacking. This report focuses on technical assistance for energy efficiency in buildings, specifically looking at the needs identified by the Build Upon² project pilot cities and the resources available at the European level.

Effectively combining technical assistance to help local authorities implement the Framework would significantly help increase building renovation and make the case for more effective policy in Europe.

The report provides some recommendations for technical assistance, both in terms of current programmes available for pilot cities to engage with and how, as well as recommendations for providers at the European level on how they could better connect with municipalities. While there is no perfect solution, programmes can be tailored to fit specific needs.

About BUILD UPON²:

The EU Horizon 2020 funded BUILD UPON² project will empower cities across Europe to join forces with national governments and industry to decarbonise their existing building stock by 2050. BUILD UPON² will strengthen the local effectiveness and implementation of the national building renovation strategies required by the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD).