Energy Action 2013, Dublin Energy Poverty and Social Housing Sorcha.edwards@housingeurope.eu

1. Energy Action 2013, Dublin Energy Poverty and Social Housing Sorcha.edwards@housingeurope.eu

2. CECODHAS Housing Europe Unites Europe’s social housing providers • CECODHAS Housing Europe is the European Committee for social and cooperatives housing, a network of national and regional social housing federations gathering over 41 400 housing providers locally – cooperatives, associations, publicly owned housing companies and privately owned (not-for profit or limited-profit) housing companies. • Altogether our members manage over 27 million dwellings, about 11.7% of existing dwellings in the European Union.

3. Share of social housing in the EU – revealing diversity of housing systems Fonte: Housing Europe 2011, progetto in corso CECODHAS Housing Europe

4. Thermal retrofit driven by EU – The framework: • EU 20 20 Strategy: 20 EE 20 GHG 20 2050 Energy Strategy: 80% reduction • Energy Efficiency Directive: 3% refurbishment rate in existing public buildings, 1.5% primary energy reduction per year • EPBD: certification, nearly-Zero Energy Targets 2018 & 2020 and cost optimal methodology • ERDF: 20% for energy efficiency and renewables 2014 - 2020

5. Internal Drivers • Focus is on decent and affordable housing for all in strong neighbourhoods • Driver: Future proofing - social inclusion, demographic change, fuel poverty in some MS (changing!) , new social trends, as well as climate change • Fair Energy Transition • Energy efficient refurbishment should not lead to increasing rents, forcing people to leave their homes • The supply of new homes should not be reduced,due to budgets being diverted to meet energy challenges • Policies and funding schemes should embrace those hardest to reach, most likely to be in fuel poverty • Diversification of renewable energy production, rather than control

6. The facts • Common challenge: Not sufficient finance to renovate existing stock • 200 million houses in the EU 27 • Average renovation rate: 0.3% • Average demolision 0.15% • Change of Scale and Speed is needed • Situation very different across the EU – potential for exchange of knowledge is very large • Main Obstacles: financing, skills gap, awareness • In South and East Europe: Fragmentation of Housing Ownership

7. Cohesion Policy 2014 – 2020 – The Potential: • 60 billion public EU budget to EE – down to 50 billion after negotiations.. • Generating 300 billion of investment • Creating 3.5 millions jobs or a minimum of 500.000 jobs each year (In France, 4% of ERDF from 2007-2013 represent a public investment of 320 €millions creating 25.000jobs (15.000 already, 10.000 for the two remaining years); impacting more than 100.000 households) • An impact in reducing energy consumption of 14 millions households • Can we afford not to do it ? Keeping in mind also: • 52.08 m people cannot keep their home adequately warm • 161.42 m are facing disproportionate housing expenditure • 87.46 m are living in poor quality dwellings • 41.74 m face arrears on their utility bills

8. Other Funds So many funds but are they any use? European Investment Bank: ELENA technical assistance, JESSICA urban regeneration, EEEF fund Energy Service Contracting/ ESCOs Size, Interest Rates often not adapted, not adapted for those on fuel poverty

9. Contradictions • EU – message is clear: Energy efficiency is in housing is a no regrets option – Top priority – Up-front investment needed. BUT Investment blocks/disincentives at local level can include • EU Fiscal Consolidation; • EU State Aid laws; • Market regulation: Lack of correspondence; between reduced consumption and bills; • Undermining strategic sector

11. Home is not a fridge!! • 15% of refurb cost is community outreach; • Pre & Re-bound effect; • Fuel poverty – underheating; • Energy Advice – A new Service of General Interest

12. New Funding Streams? • Housing organisations to berecognised as energyefficiency and energyproducers; • 1.5% EnergyEfficiency Supplier Obligation ( EED) • CarbonCredits (CZ); • Local production of renewable energy efficiency due to reduced transportation – also as a way to finance efficiency (Blocked in many MS due to restrictions on activities of housing organisations/Tax laws);

13. Examples of Progress • Dutch social housing associations, in the past six months, have made more than 110,000 dwellings more energy efficient • Savings on gas are equivalent to the total consumption of city with 48.000 inhabitants. (Aedes Press Release - September 9, 2011) • The Basis? A consensual agreement between tenants union, social housing union and the housing ministry which ensures that tenants living costs (rent plus heating) will not rise after refurbishment. • Trust achieved through visits from tenants union

14. Example • The French social housing movement has renovated more than 100,000 social housing in 2 years, helping to maintain 33,000 jobs. • 50% per cent drop in energy consumption compared to average housing in France • Off-set the annual emissions of Greenhouse Gases in a town of 34,000 inhabitants. (USH press release – January 2012). • The Basis? The Grenelle de l’environnement:  A consensually agreed framework including financial incentives which combine EU and national funding streams such as eco loans (2% interest loans)  regional and national subsidies, white certificates and extensive use of European Regional Development Funding.

15. Fair Energy Transition – Bielefeld Klima Bonus • TheBielefeld Klima Bonus prevents gentrification resulting from higher rents to be charged for higher energy standards • Encourages landlords to renovate their properties: 16 per cent of dwelling stock improved to optimise energy consumption • Avoids gentrification and supports local climate protection efforts

16. Neue Heimat Tirol – Limited Profit Housing Cooperative • The Lodenareal Passivhaus in Austria was designed as a result of an architectural competition • Largest passive house project • 354 rental dwellings with energy consumption of <15 kWh/m²/year, use of pellets and thermal solar • NHT subsidised construction costs making rent affordable for tenants (€370/month for 50 m² apartment)

17. Market Regulation – 3rd package – Lobbying Opportunities • ‘Making the Internal Market Work’?? • Strengthening the Social Dimension with a focus on Fuel poverty • Switching is not the silver bullet • Smart Metering is not the silver bullet • Diversification of Ownership • Increase in community energy ownership to increase independence ( e.g. eco power) • Committee of the Regions/European Parliament opinions

19. …. Thank you for your attention! Sorcha.edwards@housingeurope.eu

20. Energy Action 2013, Dublin Energy Poverty and Social Housing Sorcha.edwards@housingeurope.eu