In the first session, speakers involved discussed the importance of education and training for a carbon-free energy society and the need to involve workers in order to improve their workplace under an environmental point of view. 
Financing was the issue tackled in the second session; the audience had the opportunity to get an overview on the European Investment Bank’s strategy on energy efficiency and use of renewables in the residential sector and a better understanding of the Emission Trading Scheme and how it could contribute to improving energy efficiency standards at EU level.
During the third session, the need for a locally based permanent provision of impartial energy advice was discussed as well as the key role that local actors and citizens can play in achieving energy efficiency trough Europe.

The conference ended with the presentation of some case studies of energy positive housing; these examples demonstrate that buildings - thanks to the technology already available - could be considered as power plants of the future, as also mentioned by Jeremy Rifkin at the conference “Energy efficiency in housing: EU tools to unlock the potential” that CECODHAS and EEB organised last 9th December 2008 in partnership with the European Economic and Social Committee.

In conclusion, bearing in mind that the cleanest energy is the energy we do not use, the panel agreed on the fact that in order to setting the pace for a decade of green and social growth a clearer political framework - with push and pull factors - is needed. This should entail mandatory requirements for new and existing buildings, for construction materials and for household appliances, with subsidy and cheap loans arrangements for investments in this sector, complemented with well-thought taxation schemes and with personal advisory services and programmes for training architects, retailers and workers about energy efficiency in our living and working environment.

In order to achieve that, CECODHAS believes that only a joint action, combining Housing Providers, Green NGOs and Trade Unions can really “make the difference“ in achieving the 20 20  by 2020 goals set up by the European Commission.

To download all the presentations made at the conference and to find out more about other energy-related CECODHAS events, please visit the following web-page: http://www.cecodhas.org/content/view/263/206/1/2/