BSO – Tracking energy in our buildings

The building sector is the single largest energy consumer in the EU, and 75% of the EU’s buildings are not energy efficient. An improved and refurbished building stock therefore has the greatest potential for achieving the EU’s energy and climate goals of transitioning to a smarter and decarbonised energy system.

The EU Building Stock Observatory (BSO), successfully relaunched in March 2020, plays a key role in monitoring and improving the overall energy performance of buildings in the EU through data that is reliable, consistent and easy to compare.

As a tool, the BSO includes a database, a data mapper and factsheets that help keep track of a broad range of energy aspects of buildings. The data is presented in a transparent manner, which makes it easier to monitor ongoing policy measures at national and EU-level, but also form future energy policies.

More than  250 indicators feed into the database, which can be viewed in either a map or factsheet on areas like energy consumption, building elements and technical buildings system installed, energy performance certificates, nearly zero-energy buildings and renovation rates, as well as energy poverty and financial aspects. As it covers a full range of energy features, the BSO serves many different users like policy makers, investors, national authorities, researchers as well as the public.

To push ambition further, the EU BSO will host its third workshop on 27 May on the progress to date against the objectives of the project.

The EU Building Stock Observatory will issue regular newsletters as of the second quarter 2020, highlighting new data, updates of the web tool, news, events and more. Would you like to receive the BSO newsletter directly in your mailbox, please register on the subscription page.