The Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE) has started operation

The Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE) has started operation. The legal work to set up the Institute in Belgium as a non-profit organisation is being finalised and the initial work programme developed. Two foundations supporting climate change initiatives, ClimateWorks and the European Climate Foundation, have provided the initial funding for the creation of the BPIE. The institute is independent although eceee is providing support during its developing stage.

The Institute is based in Brussels and will act both as a centre of expertise on all aspects of energy efficiency and energy performance in European buildings and as the European centre for a global Best Practice Network on energy efficiency in buildings that is being created by ClimateWorks.

To play its part in a global Best Practice Network, the BPIE needs to be knowledgeable about the European activities and scope for improvement in energy efficiency best practice. Energy use in European buildings is to a great extent contributive (~40%) to the European emissions of CO2 that in 2006 were approaching 4 Gt. To reach the ambitious long-term targets of reducing CO2 emission levels by at least 60–80 % by 2050 will require a major effort on improving building energy efficiency, particularly for existing buildings. This will necessitate a complete rethink of energy use in buildings and the BPIE will play an important role driving this agenda at a European level. The BPIE role is even more important in the context of implementing the new Energy Performance in Buildings Directive.

There is a need for Europe-wide independent analysis and understanding. The BPIE will be the first point of contact for anyone interested in energy efficiency in European buildings and the overall energy performance; it will provide rigorous evidence-based information and policy guidance to both policy makers and stakeholders at EU and Member State levels. Thus, the BPIE has a big challenge.

The key audiences and partners are likely to be the European Commission, members of the European Parliament, national policy makers, buildings’ experts at all levels in Europe, industries which contribute to improved energy efficiency in buildings, NGOs and MPs campaigning for a low carbon future as well as building institutions in the individual member states.

Anticipated activities:

• Targeted research
• Policy analysis & evaluation
• Exploration of policy options and their implications
• Contribution to capacity building
• Active dissemination of information, research, analyses, evaluations, opinions, newsletters and briefing notes both to European and global audiences
• Organisation of workshops and meetings/net-meetings
• Be a forum for communication

The new executive director, Tudor Constantinescu, started full time on November 6, 2009. The institute is expected to have a staff of 5–6 people, and to be operational in 2010.

The Buildings Performance Institute Europe is at:

48 Rue de Stassart
1050 Brussels, Belgium
Phone: +32 2 894 9300
Email: bpieurope@gmail.com