Swedish Energy Agency focusing on changing the construction process
The opportunity exists today to build energy-saving buildings. The pace of construction of low-energy homes is still low, due among other things to the recession. In addition, the technology also needs to be further developed and the knowledge disseminated to more people. The Swedish Energy Agency is thus investing SEK 21.7 million in a new five-year programme that will stimulate energy-efficient new construction as well as renovations.
In order to contribute to the adjustments to the energy system and to Sweden being able to fulfil its climate goals, it is required that the construction sector strongly reduce its share of the overall energy consumption. Sweden's national goal is to reduce the consumption of energy in buildings by 20 percent up to 2020, and by 50 percent up to 2050, in comparison with the levels for 1995.
"In order to achieve the efficiency target for 2020, the pace of the construction of low-energy buildings needs to increase significantly. This involves in principle that all continued new construction and renovations need to comply with low-energy building standards," says the Director General at the Swedish Energy Agency, Tomas Kåberger.
Evaluations of the Agency's previous programme for low-energy buildings shows a continued need for stimulation and support. Programmes for buildings with very low energy consumption are thus intended to change the building process and increase the construction of buildings with very low energy consumption. Buildings that even if they have somewhat higher construction costs for now will, regardless, have lower operating costs as regards energy.
"Having both new construction and renovations carry out comprehensive measures leading to energy efficiency is important since it is precisely there where this can be done in a cost-efficient manner. If this is not done, in many cases 40 years can go by before it is time for a new renovation of the building," maintains Dag Lundblad, who is the person responsible for administering the programme at the Swedish Energy Agency.
Within the real estate sector, the technical capabilities currently exist to significantly reduce the energy consumption of buildings for heating, cooling, hot water and operating electricity.
Energy consumption for the projects that receive support must be at least 50 percent lower than the requirements posed by the Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning's construction rules and have a large demonstration value. Assessing the energy performance of existing buildings as well as communicating results and inspiring others to exchanges of experience are also important parts of the programme.
"The programme will become an important tool in the national strategy that the Swedish Energy Agency is unveiling this year in order to promote and follow up on developments in low-energy buildings. The strategy will be designed in consultation with the National Board of Housing, Building and Planning and other participants in the construction and real estate area," emphasises Tomas Kåberger.
Contact:
Dag Lundblad, administrator for the programme at the Swedish Energy Agency, tel. (+46) 16- 544 23 35.
