Rapidly improving energy efficiency in buildings is not only essential for reaching the world’s nations climate goals but also to secure energy security, affordability, and economic competitiveness. With global energy demand growing at a 2.2% rate in 2024 and annual energy efficiency improvements stalling at 1%, the goal of reaching 4% of energy efficiency annual gains by 2030 is rapidly slipping away.
The solutions exist: enacting strong policies and unlocking finance deliver impact. The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) 10th Annual Global Energy Efficiency Conference will gather governments, business leaders and technical experts to discuss how to accelerate these solutions. The event will take place in Brussels, from 12 to 13 June.
The Partnership for Energy Efficiency Buildings (PEEB) will be present to show its impact in the buildings sector, which accounts for over one-third of global energy use and a fourth of energy-related global emissions.
Putting ambition high on the agenda
Energy Efficiency is a key priority for PEEB’s implementing agencies. The French Development Bank (AFD) strives to integrate energy efficiency in its investments. At GIZ, energy efficiency is a crucial part of efforts for a just energy transition.
GIZ member of the board Ingrid Gabriela Hoven will speak in the high-level panel event “Investment, Competitiveness, and Jobs”. This panel will explore examples illustrating economic benefits of energy efficiency and how they can promote access to finance and boost ambitious action.
Ms. Hoven will bring examples from PEEB and highlight how the PEEB accelerates action for energy efficiency. She will bring PEEB’s unique field-based perspective, supported by a track record of deploying policy action and finance in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Mediterranean region.
Thematic Session Energy Efficiency in Buildings at the IEA Conference
What solutions are available to deliver the buildings sector’s contribution to the goal of doubling energy efficiency improvements? The thematic session “Energy Efficiency for Affordable Homes and Workplaces” will explore this question on Friday 13 June, from 2 to 5 pm.
This session will bridge high-level policymaking and the tools to deliver it. The session is coordinated by the Energy Efficiency Hub and the IEA in association with PEEB, the European Commission, the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction, the UK Carbon Trust, and the World Green Buildings Council.
What to Expect
The session will join high-level government speakers, public sector and industry representatives, and practitioners to explore how to translate goals into action, with a view to the steps leading to this year’s UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil.
Speakers will showcase examples from around the world exemplifying diverse approaches to lowering the barriers for energy efficiency adoption in buildings. The second part of the session will focus on emerging digital solutions that can enhance compliance monitoring, simplify the retrofitting process, facilitate grid connectivity and collect data.
Why Investing in Buildings Matter
Investing in energy efficiency directly reduces costs for families and businesses while supporting national energy security and economic development goals. As an example, in 2022, IEA countries saved up to USD 680 billion thanks to energy efficiency measures.
Yet, investments remain too low. In 2023, global investment in energy-efficient buildings dropped to USD 270 billion–just over half of what’s needed annually (USD 522.5 billion) by 2030 to stay on track with the decarbonisation goals of the Paris Agreement.
PEEB’s project portfolio has demonstrated that building efficiency can be scaled with sufficient investment. Success depends on coordinated efforts across finance, regulation, and implementation. PEEB works with countries and international funders to develop integrated strategies that remove barriers and deliver results on the ground.
Join us in Brussels and keep up to date!
The IEA conference can be attended by invitation only. We invite all attendants that are interested in our work to reach out to our team on site, Anna Zinecker (GIZ), Joscha Rosenbusch (GIZ), Jose Lopez (AFD), Guillaume Monceaux (AFD), and Manelle Ait-Sahlia (AFD).
More details and the agenda of the sessions can be consulted here.
To keep up with our updates from the conference, join us on LinkedIn and stay tuned to our website!