Open-access content
Wednesday 4th April 2012
4 April 2012
A raft of business and professional bodies are calling for the government to change its position on the European Energy Efficiency Directive (EED).
In a letter to secretary of state for energy and climate change Ed Davey, bodies including the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Friends of the Earth, and the UK Green Building Council, have expressed concern over the coalition government's inconsistent position on the draft EED.
The directive is designed to ensure the European Union meets its 20 per cent energy savings target by 2020. But the coalition government opposes a 20 per cent binding target and nearly all the other significant measures in the EED, according to the concerned groups.
The letter calls for measures including support for a binding 20 per cent energy savings target, allocation of individual national targets and a trajectory for each member state. It also backs ambitious renovation targets for all public buildings.
RIBA head of external affairs Anna Scott-Marshall said the coalition government's stance on the directive was "confusing" and needed more ambitious targets. She said: "The UK is in a great position to take advantage of a strong EED, given how our energy efficiency policy is progressing. It will help ensure we create new green jobs and growth by eliminating our current inefficient use of energy." According to Scott-Marshall, this will reduce carbon emissions and "save UK households and businesses money at a time of rising energy costs."
In her statement, she expressed concern over the coalition government's position, saying: "The coalition appears to be pushing for an unambitious target on public buildings renovations. This does not help lead the market for energy efficiency renovations, and leaves a large energy bill for the taxpayer. This position does nothing to foster confidence among those in the UK's growing green buildings sector, including architects and other businesses. It also stands contrary to the coalition's claims to be the greenest government ever. We need a sensible roadmap to improving the efficiency of our building stock."
A raft of business and professional bodies are calling for the government to change its position on the European Energy Efficiency Directive (EED).
In a letter to secretary of state for energy and climate change Ed Davey, bodies including the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Friends of the Earth, and the UK Green Building Council, have expressed concern over the coalition government's inconsistent position on the draft EED. The directive is designed to ensure the European Union meets its 20 per cent energy savings target by 2020. But the coalition government opposes a 20 per cent binding target and nearly all the other significant measures in the EED, according to the concerned groups.
The letter calls for measures including support for a binding 20 per cent energy savings target, allocation of individual national targets and a trajectory for each member state. It also backs ambitious renovation targets for all public buildings.
RIBA head of external affairs Anna Scott-Marshall said the coalition government's stance on the directive was "confusing" and needed more ambitious targets. She said: "The UK is in a great position to take advantage of a strong EED, given how our energy efficiency policy is progressing. It will help ensure we create new green jobs and growth by eliminating our current inefficient use of energy." According to Scott-Marshall, this will reduce carbon emissions and "save UK households and businesses money at a time of rising energy costs."
In her statement, she expressed concern over the coalition government's position, saying: "The coalition appears to be pushing for an unambitious target on public buildings renovations. This does not help lead the market for energy efficiency renovations, and leaves a large energy bill for the taxpayer. This position does nothing to foster confidence among those in the UK's growing green buildings sector, including architects and other businesses. It also stands contrary to the coalition's claims to be the greenest government ever. We need a sensible roadmap to improving the efficiency of our building stock."