EU policies for energy efficiency

Rick Wilberforce, Market Development Manager – Europe

Driven by the need to mitigate climate change and to ensure security of energy supply, the EU has placed energy efficiency high up its political agenda. Consequently two major EU Directives relating to energy in buildings, an Energy Efficiency Action Plan and a formal new Energy Policy have been published recently. All of these will stimulate the demand for buildings to be more energy efficient and create major opportunities for the market growth of high performance, addedvalue glass products.

However, EU Directives have to be implemented by national governments transposing them into national laws before they have any effect. Some governments are quicker, more diligent and more enthusiastic than others. This paper identifies the key energy efficiency policy trends and legislative developments at EU level, highlights the specific aspects of EU Directives that are of most potential to our industry and demonstrates how our industry needs to lobby at national level to ensure these Directives are implemented to our advantage.

The author argues that the architectural glass industry must become more pro-active in its dealings with legislators at national level to ensure all the opportunities created by current EU policy and legislation are exploited.

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The Authors

Mr. Rick Wilberforce Market development manager Pilkington In Pilkington, I am responsible for government relations and the monitoring of legislation in Europe, at national and EU level. Am also the President of the UK Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF). Am ... Read more