The European Union wishes to achieve a zero-emission building stock by 2050, by boosting renovation rates and reaching for the highest possible energy efficiency of buildings. However, homeowners wishing to retrofit their homes face frustrating hurdles. Integrated Home Renovation Services (IHRS), or so-called One-Stop Shops for residential energy renovation (OSS), are emerging in Europe to ease their renovation journey but we need many more of these innovative consultancies. A new initiative, EU Peers has been launched recently to support OSS providers by creating a thriving network, which enables them to learn, exchange, gain visibility and advocate their cause. 

The need for a renovation wave

Residential buildings accounted for more than a quarter of the final energy consumption in the European Union in 2020. In most EU countries, at least half of all homes were built before the start of the 1970s, and have poor energy performance. 

Sadly, most homeowners face major difficulties when they wish to retrofit their homes: having the necessary funds (or at least reliable information on loans and subsidies), selecting suitable contractors and supervising the renovation project. In addition, in multi-family buildings, collective decision-making is often slow and complicated.

Not surprisingly, the weighted annual energy renovation rate is extremely low, at around 1%, and in some regions, energy renovation is virtually absent. 

One-Stop Shops are innovative organisations, offering integrated home renovation services that make the complex renovation process attractive, simple, tailor-made and accessible. Hundreds of them are already operating all over Europe but many more are needed. The good news is that the EU requires Member States to roll out one OSS for every 80,000 inhabitants or at least one per region. However, there are significant variations in regulations, funding mechanisms, and uptake of OSS across Europe. Thus the challenges and opportunities are also varied.

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