The collaboration has resulted in the incorporation of innovative inputs in the EEA's latest report on sustainable cooling policies for buildings in Europe.
ABC 21 project has recently collaborated with the European Environment Agency (EEA) to provide inputs for their latest report titled “Cooling buildings sustainably in Europe: exploring the links between climate change mitigation and adaptation, and their social impacts”. The report focuses on the rising demand for cooling in buildings in Europe, the vulnerability of the population to heatwaves, and the potential impacts of sustainable cooling policy on vulnerable groups.
The ABC 21 project’s inputs for the report have highlighted the significant impact of using air velocity provided by well-designed ceiling fans and wearing informal, light clothing to improve comfort at very low energy cost. The report also emphasizes the importance of appropriate design, construction, renovation, and maintenance of buildings to offer protection from heatwaves and high temperatures.
The report further highlights the knowledge gap on the extent of overheating in buildings and the lack of data and information regarding the share of EU citizens unable to keep their homes comfortably cool during the summer. The briefing aims to examine key elements of sustainable cooling policy and its potential impacts on vulnerable groups by reducing health risks, inequalities, and summer energy poverty.
The cooperation between ABC 21 project and the EEA is an excellent example of how research and knowledge sharing can lead to practical solutions for society’s challenges. With rising temperatures and an increasing demand for cooling in buildings, sustainable cooling policies and solutions are becoming increasingly critical to protect vulnerable groups and promote a more sustainable future.