On basis of the Paris Agreement (2015) to fight climate change, the European Commission (EC) adopted strategies to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (e.g. 2050 long-term strategy). Based on data of the European Environment Agency and the EC, the building sector represents the largest single energy consumer accounting for around 40% of the total energy consumption and 36% of the GHG emissions in Europe. In addition, the EC assessed around 75% of the building stock in Europe as energy inefficient. Here, great potential for improvement is related to the energy consumption in the form of heating and electricity as well as to the urban energy production.

Regardless of the existing information and strategies, there is only slow progress concerning the rehabilitation of the building sector. Drawing from experiences from AREA 21 and expertise of our guests in the webinar, we would like to address challenges from a policy perspective and propose recommendations. This webinar provides a forum on the current issues of energy improvement policy and collaborative processes in the strategic planning and implementation of energy solutions. It focuses on recommendations to improve action on energy efficiency at the local and regional levels. Particular attention will be paid to the role of cooperation among energy stakeholders and across levels of government, and methods to encourage and support this.

Policy experts, as well as public and private actors in energy fields, are especially invited to join this discussion.