An Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development (OECD) policy paper reports on how cities use housing renovation and energy efficiency to cut emissions, reduce bills, and support low-income households, with European examples from France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, and Italy.
An OECD policy paper on Integrated Urban Policy to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals sets out how energy efficiency in buildings is being used by cities and national authorities to address housing affordability, climate action and social inclusion. The report was prepared to support the 2024 Italian Presidency of the G7.
The paper notes that buildings account for nearly 40% of global energy-related CO₂ emissions and that, in major economies, households spend between 3% and 7% of their income on heating and cooling. It highlights that in the European Union, an investment of EUR 1 million in building energy renovation is estimated to generate an average of 18 jobs.
France is presented as a country example where housing energy efficiency was made a priority through reforms to the Climate and Resilience Act in 2021, introducing stricter thermal regulations for new buildings and measures to support renovation through grants, subsidies and advice to landlords.
In the United Kingdom, the report refers to the low-carbon social housing project at Goldsmith Street in Norwich, which comprises 105 socially rented homes and can recover up to 95% of heat that would otherwise be lost through leaks and drafts, leading to lower energy bills for residents.
Spain’s National Energy and Climate Plan 2021-2030 is cited for its target of improving energy efficiency by 39.5% by 2030 and for outlining 17 energy efficiency measures across housing, transport, industry and services to meet energy savings obligations.
Germany is referenced through its National Urban Development Policy 2021-2024, which funded pilot projects to repurpose underused urban spaces. In Neuruppin, an underutilised park was transformed through a community-led process that integrates environmental, educational and mobility goals, contributing to energy efficiency and climate adaptation at the neighbourhood scale.
Italy is cited for the renovation of the Levante Waterfront area in Genoa, where urban regeneration works combine climate resilience, mixed-use planning and environmental strategies. The project includes residential buildings and public spaces designed to reduce the carbon footprint of the built environment and support lower energy bills for households.
The OECD paper concludes that housing renovation and building energy efficiency are central to integrated urban policy. Examples from France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany and Italy show how renovation programmes and urban regeneration projects are used to reduce emissions, lower household energy costs and support employment across different national contexts.
Integrated urban policy to achieve the SDGs.pdf
English (5.98 MB - PDF)
