The European Alliance to Save Energy welcomes the European Commission’s initiative to develop a Climate Resilience Framework to address the growing impacts of climate change across Europe.

Climate resilience must go hand in hand with energy and water efficiency to deliver a cost-effective and future-proof transition. 

Water and energy efficiency are essential to tackle increasing scarcity, droughts and extreme weather. Reducing resource demand in buildings, industry and water systems strengthens resilience while lowering costs and emissions.

Digitalisation is a key enabler, supporting real-time monitoring, smarter resource management and faster response to climate risks.

Preparing cities and communities must be central to the Framework. Integrated planning, resilient building renovation and smart infrastructure will help urban areas withstand heatwaves, flooding and other climate impacts.

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The European Alliance to Save Energy welcomes the European Commission’s efforts to develop an Electrification Action Plan.

Electrification must go hand in hand with energy efficiency to deliver a cost-effective, resilient and consumer-friendly energy system. All electrification measures should integrate energy efficient solutions that reduce demand, and enhance flexibility. Implementing the Energy Efficiency First principle is essential to make the best use of existing electricity grids, avoid unnecessary infrastructure costs and ensure a stable system.

Buildings and industry offer major opportunities. Promoting energy efficiency in buildings strengthens their ability to support demand response and contribute to system flexibility. Effective implementation of the EPBD and the EED is crucial to enable efficient electrification reduce energy needs and unlock the benefits of smart, flexible technologies.

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The European Alliance to Save Energy welcomes the European Commission’s efforts to develop an Affordable Housing Plan.

Affordable housing must be linked to energy efficient housing .Repurposing and renovation projects should systematically incorporate energy efficient retrofits, reducing energy demand, optimising consumption and lowering operational costs. This approach improves comfort, sustainability and affordability simultaneously.

Urban areas in particular offer significant opportunities: around 75% of existing buildings are inefficient, and most will remain standing in 2050. Effective implementation of the EPBD is therefore crucial to improve energy performance and reduce energy bills.

The EU framework, including the EPBD and Article 6 of the EED, provides clarity and stability for investment in affordable housing. The Plan should ensure full implementation across Member States to deliver both energy efficient and affordable homes for all Europeans.

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The European Alliance to Save Energy supports the European Commission’s efforts to develop a European Water Resilience Strategy.

Europe faces both a competitiveness crisis and increasing water scarcity. To address these challenges, the Water Efficiency First (WE1st) principle must be embedded in the strategy. Drawing from the Energy Efficiency First (EE1st) principle, we emphasize that prioritizing efficiency in water use across all sectors enhances economic resilience, and industrial competitiveness while supporting climate goals.

The EE1 principle, embedded in EU energy policy, requires prioritization of efficiency measures in planning, policy, and investment decisions. Similarly, the WE1st principle should be formally integrated into EU legislation for a systemic application. Water demand reduction across industries should be a priority, ensuring efficiency without placing burden on consumers. Member States must integrate water efficiency into decision-making, aligning it with climate, industrial, and digital policies, while ensuring due consideration in the built environment. A water-energy nexus approach is crucial, leveraging synergies between water conservation and energy savings, particularly in semiconductors, and data centers.

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The European Alliance to Save Energy (EU-ASE) welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback to the EU Fitness Check on Energy Security Architecture. 

The Recent geopolitical crises and heightened climate risks have underscored the urgent need for a resilient and independent EU energy security framework. While the EU has made notable advances in reducing fossil fuel imports following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the reliance on other non-EU countries remains a significant vulnerability.

We advocate for a comprehensive and systematic approach to energy system efficiency (ESE) to achieve genuine independence from fossil fuels, thereby increasing energy security, fostering EU competitiveness and supporting a smooth, inclusive transition for all Europeans.

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