The International Energy Agency (IEA) 2025 Toolkit underscores the pivotal role of buildings in global energy consumption and emissions. With buildings accounting for nearly 30% of final energy use, the report calls for urgent action to improve efficiency through robust policy frameworks.

Central to this effort are Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS), which set mandatory efficiency thresholds for new and renovated buildings. These standards help eliminate poor-performing designs, reduce energy bills, and enhance occupant comfort and health, while supporting climate resilience.

The Toolkit advocates a policy package approach, combining MEPS with information tools like energy performance certificates and incentives such as retrofit grants. This integrated strategy ensures that efficiency gains are both technically sound and socially inclusive.

Effective implementation, the report notes, requires regular updates to standards, strong enforcement mechanisms, and public engagement. By adopting MEPS and supporting measures, governments can halve building energy use and accelerate progress toward net-zero targets.