CommONEnergy policy factsheet: Cost-competitive deep renovation of shopping centres, a driver for EU policies
The European project CommONEnergy, aimed at re-conceptualizing shopping centres through deep retrofitting, prepared a policy paper to highlight the important role these commercial buildings could have to reach European sustainability goals if properly included in the EU Directives.
The policy recommendations presented in the paper are based on expertise and research from over 23 organisations and 3 demonstration cases and grouped under four main themes: engaging stakeholders, communicating the benefits of renovation, promoting energy efficient technology packages, and supporting the energy transition.
For example, CommONEnergy believes that e-vehicle charging stations should be supplied by an increasing share of energy from renewable energy sources. In one of the shopping centre demo cases, at the COOP Grosseto in Italy, a photovoltaic system produces energy to power the shopping centre and to charge Electric Vehicles (EVs). The use of EVs supports the European Commission’s long-term vision to guide the transformation towards a low carbon and resource efficient society, and shopping centres with EV charging stations attract more customers thanks to new services, promote sustainability and improve their image.
The recommendations presented can serve as an important basis for the tabling of amendments to Bendtsen’s draft, catching the opportunity of a more ambitious revision of the EPBD and a better recognition of the strong role shopping centres can play in achieving the EU energy efficiency targets.
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