Expert support to Implementation Working Group 5 of the SET Plan - Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Project Information

IWG5-CSA

Grant agreement ID: 101075700

DOI

10.3030/101075700

Project closed

EC signature date 5 August 2022

Start date 1 September 2022

End date 31 August 2025

Funded under

• Climate, Energy and Mobility

Total cost

€ 604 775,00

EU contribution

€ 604 774,00

Coordinated by

EUREC EESV
Belgium

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - IWG5-CSA (Expert support to Implementation Working Group 5 of the SET Plan - Energy Efficiency in Buildings)

Reporting period: 2024-03-01 to 2025-08-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The Implementation Working Group on Energy Efficiency in Buildings (IWG5) is network of country representatives, researchers and industry stakeholders working on buildings. IWG5 is part of the EU’s Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan. The Coordination and support action (CSA) project running between 2022 and 2025 provides secretariat facilities and expert advice to IWG5 members.

The IWG5-CSA’s project brief is to support IWG5 to review its Implementation Plan on energy-efficient solutions for buildings. This strategic document will require Member States to put in place measures favouring both innovation in building design and energy technologies for buildings, and the uptake of these technologies by builders.

To support the review of IWG5’s Implementation Plan, the CSA project will provide scientific support to establish the performance of eco-building technologies today and assist the IWG5 in setting realistic but ambitious performance targets, then monitoring progress towards them. In addition, project partners will organize a task forces on 7 building-related topics that will feed into its Implementation Plan.

A key objective of the CSA project is to deepen and widen the membership of IWG5, in particular by adding to the group representatives from countries that are not yet members. The consortium will organize and animate regular discussions with IWG5 members on policy and technical developments, it will publish a dedicated newsletter called “Policy Radar” and it will organize annual Study Tours in different European countries to exchange best practices and visit buildings with innovative and sustainable concepts. Key topics of discussion will include the review process of National Energy and Climate Plans and the update of 2030 EU legislation, such as the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.

The CSA project will also seek to strengthen its visibility in the construction and building communities. It will disseminate its publications and main findings via: events, press releases, a new website, social media and a newsletter.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The IWG5-CSA project had several achievements through the three years of its duration. In terms of membership, the consortium led a campaign to boost IWG5’s members, reaching 24 countries and 25 stakeholders by the project’s end. In terms of the group’s functioning, the CSA helped to establish an IWG5 Board that meets regularly and steers IWG5, prepared new Terms of Reference and organised IWG5 meetings more regularly (5 a year on average) with the full membership and external experts such as EU officials, think tanks and industry representatives. The CSA organised three annual Study Tours during the project to Berlin, Brussels and Valencia.

The CSA coordinated the review the group’s main strategic document, a full update of its Implementation Plan in 2025. Several other publications were prepared beforehand to support the review, including seven thematic white papers, a report on ‘National Energy and Climate Plans’ and another report on ‘National Building Renovation Plans’. Moreover, to support the innovation targets in the Implementation Plan, the project prepared two reports on baselines and targets, along with a free online tool to help housing developers and local authorities to simulate building renovation pathways. Lastly, the project published bimonthly newsletters on policy updates that informed the IWG5 group. All publications are available in IWG5’s website: https://www.iwg5-buildings.eu/

The CSA helped to raise IWG5’s visibility and profile among the buildings community by sending speakers to three SET Plan Conferences and a series of international events. It also maintained and strengthened links with other EU networks, including other SET Plan groups and Concerted Actions. It maintained an active presence via social media, press releases and regular mailings.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

A key result of the project was exposing government officials with expertise in buildings to regular discussions and briefings on innovative policy instruments and new technologies to decarbonise buildings. The group also regularly shared best practices among Member States on how to set up successful funding programmes to decarbonise the construction sector. This, combined with an increased number of IWG5 members from national administrations, helped to raise awareness among ministries and national agencies of the tools that are available.

The CSA project coordinated the preparation of 7 technical white papers – involving hundreds of experts in IWG5 task forces – that focused on key aspects of building sustainability, decarbonisation and socio-economy elements related to the clean transition. These elements were used to update IWG5’s Implementation Plan. More broadly, the 7 white papers provide up-to-date information available to all interested stakeholders. The papers also help to support the SET Plan’s horizontal white papers that are being developed during 2025-2026.

A future CSA for IWG5 should build on the previous task forces and focus on new themes relevant to the green transition in buildings, including building renovation and the increasing need for sustainable cooling. Moreover, it should continue expanding IWG5’s membership basis - particularly where there are gaps in northern and eastern Europe – and continue building links to other relevant European networks.

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