This document from the Architects’ Council of Europe (ACE), titled ‘Promoting the renovation, transformation and re-use of existing buildings over demolition and new builds’, emphasises renovating existing buildings to meet the EU’s 2030 green house gasses emission reduction target.

Key points include the Renovation Wave Strategy, which aims to double the annual energy renovation rate and renovate 35 million units by 2030, a holistic approach to upgrades, and social inclusion.

The ACE supports the House Europe initiative, advocating for a right to reuse existing buildings based on three key pillars: tax incentives for sustainable renovations, EU-wide risk assessment standards, and valuing embedded CO2 to discourage demolition.

This approach seeks to promote renovation and material reuse while ensuring energy efficiency and high-quality architecture.