Energy efficiency investments must more than double to achieve the EU’s new climate and energy targets. This EEFIG report takes a deep dive into the current status and identifies necessary actions to scale up energy efficiency investments in buildings, SMEs and industry.

"Energy efficiency investments in buildings are significantly below the levels required to deliver the EU’s increased climate ambition and identified in the Renovation Wave. An additional EUR 275 billion per year in renovation investments over the period 2021-2030 was identified in the Renovation Wave Strategy in order to reach EU energy and climate objectives in 2030. In order to accelerate the pace of energy efficiency investments in buildings, increases of capital allocated to energy efficiency are required but this will only deliver new investments if policy measures increase demand and address the key barriers.

The buildings market transformation requires an integrated and systemic approach to regulatory reforms that include:

• enforcing energy efficiency standards in buildings to bolster existing policies;
• transposing best practice policies quickly across Member States;
• dedicating specific incentives and requirements to buildings types;
• educating building owners and financial intermediaries;
• providing long-term finance to enable deep Paris-aligned retrofits."

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