EU to states: ‘Forge ahead with green homes’

Brussels – Forge ahead with ‘green’ houses. The European Commission is not giving up and is raising the bar. The State of the Energy Union Report insists on a crucial point that is also sore in certain countries, starting with Italy. “Energy efficiency efforts will need a further step up to achieve the 11.7% final energy consumption reduction target by 2030,” the EU executive notes in the document.

To date, the assessment conducted on the updated drafts of the National Energy and Climate Plans (NEPCs) indicates a reduction of only 5.8 percent compared to 2030 projections. We are late. Thus, in practice, “ renovation rates and electrification of heating equipment across the board remain too low and national measures are insufficient to reach a decarbonized building stock by 2050, for which a swift implementation of the revised directive for the energy performance of building will be absolutely key.”

It is a clear recommendation that applies especially to those governments that, like Italy, continue to have doubts and misgivings on the issue of sustainable housing. Green Deal Commissioner Maros Sefcovic says it is a question of bills. Green Deal Commissioner Maros Sefcovic says it is a question of bills. “We should swiftly implement the new policy and regulatory framework to address the elevated energy prices,” he stresses.

Regarding prices and setbacks for households, in the chapter on Italy, there is a passage that is just as delicate as controversial. The European Commission points out that in 2023, 4.1 percent of the population had difficulty paying their bills, while 9.5 percent could not keep their homes adequately heated in the winter. “This underscores the importance of increasing the rate and quality of building renovation,” particularly those with the worst energy performance. It is a pity that the figure quoted touches on the issue of people who cannot cope, those at risk of poverty and social exclusion who don’t pay because they have no money. It is a problem that affects 13 million men and women in Italy alone.