I recently addressed the European Commission Conference on Financing Energy Efficiency held in Malta – a conference which focused on working towards a more energy efficient infrastructure and financing such initiatives.
During my time as Parliamentary Secretary for the EU presidency 2017 and EU Funds, I presided over a presidency which prioritised this topic. The hard work meant Member States signed two agreements targeting directives on energy efficiency and the energy performance of buildings.
As minister, I see the need for increased synergy between the finance and construction sectors towards the improvement of the quality of our building stock.
Maltese buildings demonstrate the lowest energy consumption in the European Union, with the energy demand in our buildings mostly originating from plug-in loads and appliances. Unfortunately, this fact cannot be attributed to the good quality of our buildings but rather to our advantageous geographical location. On the ground, the energy performance of our buildings still leaves much to be desired.
In an effort to invest in energy efficiency, the government has embarked on a number of initiatives and schemes to incentivise the public to improve the energy performance of buildings. This includes the use of EU funds to provide grants for photovoltaic systems, solar water heaters, roof insulation, double glazing and the installation of heat pumps.
However, apart from being mostly intermittent and recurring every now and then, these schemes were almost exclusively driven by public funds and this will simply not suffice unless complemented by significant private investment.
It is satisfying to see that developers have recently picked up the discussion on the matter, that some banks are offering advantageous rates for investments in the sector, and that the public is gradually shifting towards investing part of their capital in energy efficiency.
We have yet tofoster a culture wherein energy efficiency becomes a feature by design
But if we are to be true to ourselves, we can say that there are miles to go. We have yet to foster a culture where energy efficiency becomes a feature by design. Future dwellings need to have inbuilt characteristics such as low heat-transfer building envelopes and maximum use of natural lighting.
Our building designers need to start looking at the lifetime costs of buildings, an exercise which would inevitably increase the occupants’ quality of life by making buildings cheaper to run and more comfortable to live in. Architects and engineers need to make more use of energy efficient products and include materials and systems that make the building consume less energy.
Newly constructed buildings offer the most feasible opportunities as it is cheaper to design and construct an energy efficient building than to alter existing structures. However, the answer is not to ignore older buildings. In fact, the government is working to set an example on this level.
The government has managed to retrofit a number of public buildings to serve as a showcase of best practice opportunities for improvement, including public schools and homes for the elderly, which have shown that it is in fact possible to achieve nearly zero energy buildings.
The future of energy efficiency in buildings is looking positive with the progress being achieved in setting up the Malta Construction and Building Authority, which aims to consolidate the fragmented legislation related to the sector. The new authority shall regulate both the construction stage and any completed building throughout its lifetime, even with regard to important aspects such as life safety, fire prevention and energy efficiency.
We may need to develop indigenous systems and methods which are suitable for our climate and cityscapes while fully respecting the legacy of our building heritage. This authority shall foster and encourage a transition towards more energy-efficient buildings, making them the natural way to construct a new structure.
We are committed and determined to ensure that this new authority provides a smooth transition from our present situation into a more sustainable and efficient one, without disrupting the market or the industry, while at the same time prioritising sustainability and efficiency.
In the meantime, families and companies are encouraged to take the opportunity of cheaper energy prices to invest in energy efficient systems as the way forward to augment their savings on energy bills. Buildings are long lived assets, spanning over several decades and generations. This makes spending money in enhancements a more worthwhile investment.
The government is committed to driving forward improvements in energy performance. We want to work for future generations to ensure they can experience a better planet which lives and operates in a sustainable way.
Ian Borg is Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects.
This is a Times of Malta print opinion piece