The key to improving the energy efficiency of buildings lies in cooperation between everyone involved in the value chain and business has to take the lead in this, a conference in Amsterdam was told on 13 May.

The key to improving the energy efficiency of buildings lies in cooperation between everyone involved in the value chain and business has to take the lead in this, a conference in Amsterdam was told on 13 May.

The two-day conference was organised by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) along the theme of energy efficiency in buildings in the Benelux region. It focused on three key areas - renovating existing residential properties, renovating schools and renovating offices – as well as identifying the barriers to scaling up such projects and boosting energy efficiency in property in general.

WBCSD president Peter Bakker told delegates that industry has to play a leading role in addressing global warming. ‘97% of scientists are clear that climate change is down to human activity,’ he said. ‘And greening the world is the biggest business opportunity out there. If we want to fix climate change, we have to stop taking incremental steps. We need to take big leaps.’

Some 70% of the world’s population will live in cities by 2050, making energy-efficient buildings crucial in tackling climate change.

Businesses and city governments will be taking part in the COP21 talks in Paris later this year and this is the first time business has actively been involved in the United Nations climate talks, Bakker pointed out. ‘That is a new and powerful development,’ he said.

Buildings, he said, are the world’s largest energy consumers and a massive source of emissions. ‘If we act today, we can reduce the world’s energy consumption by 50% by 2030,’ he said. The construction sector has the best business case for taking action, as energy-efficient buildings not only address climate change but present other opportunities, he said.

However, traditional financial models may be one of the barriers to change, Bakker said. In addition, other sectors are also stealing a march, he said, pointing to new technological developments such as the Tesla Powerwall and Google’s investment in Nest thermostats.

Akzo Nobel chief executive Tom Büchner told the conference his company had long been convinced that industry can’t wait for governments to take the lead. ‘This is why we are here,’ he said. ‘Sustainability is at the core of what we do.’ However, it is crucial not to think in terms of products but in terms of segments, he said. ‘You have to think about the value chain not industries.’

For example, many of Akzo Nobel’s coatings have a function other than simply looking beautiful, he said. Some have insulating properties, others are solar reflectors. ‘This means we are involved in all aspects of buildings, especially when they are being refitted,’ Büchner said.

Despite the opportunities, Akzo Nobel has come up against a lot of resistance to change, Büchner said. In addition, there is a lack of integrated thinking when it comes to new building products. Akzo Nobel has found it ‘pretty difficult’ to commercialise some products because of the lack of vision in the sector. ‘They demand products which are twice as good for half the price,’ he said.

Mark Frequin, head of the urban agenda at the Dutch home affairs ministry, told the conference the biggest opportunity awaiting the construction sector is not building new homes but refitting existing buildings.

The Dutch government signed an agreement on reducing energy usage with construction firms last year which sets out tough targets for making the country’s buildings more sustainable. However, the bottom line, he said, is do people really want change. It should be clear to everyone involved, be it government, industry or an elderly lady at home in Ermelo why they should want homes to be more energy-efficient, he said.