National Building Renovations Plans (NBRP): A Powerful tool for a just and climate-resilient built environment

Our homes and buildings is where climate ambition meets everyday life.

The climate crisis is already reshaping our lives, and the urgency to prepare for a climate-resilient future has never been greater. Rising energy prices, outdated heating systems, and poorly insulated homes leave families vulnerable—not just to the climate crisis, but to deepening inequality and exclusion.

Yet, our homes and buildings are among the largest contributors to the climate crisis, accounting for 36% of the GHG emissions in the EU alone. Heating and cooling account for the largest share of the building sector’s carbon footprint, consuming 50% of the energy consumed in the EU, with the majority still produced using fossil fuels.

Renovating our homes and buildings, and replacing fossil fuel heating and cooling capacities with sustainable, renewable energy technologies, such as heat pumps and solar thermal, goes far beyond just taking urgent climate action measures, it addresses a deep social justice issue, and can improve the health and well-being of millions of people and households across Europe.

The National Building Renovation Plans (NBRPs) should be seen as more than just a necessary requirement, they are a political and moral opportunity that can directly enhance decarbonisation efforts, climate resilience, and greater social equity. They should provide a framework that makes climate ambition and social justice go hand in hand—through inclusive planning, targeted support for vulnerable groups, strong social safeguards for building renovations, and a clear commitment to make housing and energy a right.