Brussels has proposed that European countries should increase their overall energy efficiency by 30% by 2013.

The new target would create greater impetus over the next decade to retrofit existing buildings to make them more energy efficient.

The target was proposed by the European Commission and will have to be ratified by the European Parliament and the European Council before it can become binding policy.

Günther Oettinger, German Commissioner for energy, 2009-2014

Günther Oettinger, vice-president of the European Commission for energy, said the target was “ambitious” but that “at the same time it is realistic”.

He added: “Our aim is to give the right signal to the market and encourage further investments in energy saving technologies to the benefit of businesses, consumers and the environment.”

The Commission said that the energy efficiency of buildings had increased at a rate of around 1.4% a year but that governments needed to find ways to “accelerate and finance upfront investments and speed up the renovation rate of the existing stock from 1.4% - today’s average - to above 2% annually”.

The plans form part of a wider European initiative to deliver a 40% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

Building.co.uk