Europe’s construction industry is failing to transition in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement, according to think tank Buildings Performance Institute Europe’s (BPIE) latest EU Buildings Climate Tracker. Progress on decarbonisation has stalled, the report said, with the emissions gap more than doubling since 2016. Carbon emissions from building energy use have decreased by 14.7% since 2015 – far below the 27.9% reduction required by 2022 to remain Paris-aligned. In addition, final energy consumption in buildings has only logged a 2.8% decrease since 2015, while the share of renewable energy in buildings has grown by 6.3 percentage points since 2015 – below the required 18 percentage point increase. Renovation investments also only reached 60.6% of the required levels between 2015 and 2022. “Slow decarbonisation of buildings isn’t just a climate problem, it’s a people problem,” said Oliver Rapf, BPIE’s Executive Director. “Increasing renovation rates and scaling up renewable heating systems represent a generational opportunity to reshape Europe’s economy, boost resilience, and provide safer, healthier homes for millions.” BPIE has called for bold action from EU institutions and national governments to reverse this trajectory. “This is Europe’s chance to replicate the success of landmark projects like the Single Market – turning today’s challenges into a foundation for lasting prosperity. We cannot afford to let this slip away,” said Rapf.
