Two foundations supporting climate change initiatives, ClimateWorks in the United States and the European Climate Foundation, have provided the initial funding for the creation of the BPIE, while eceee is providing support during its developing stage. The institute is, nevertheless, conceived as an independent organisation.

The institute is based in Brussels.

The Institute will act both as a centre of expertise on all aspects of energy efficiency and energy performance in European buildings and as the European centre for a global Best Practice Network on energy efficiency in buildings. This global Best Practice Network is being created by ClimateWorks. There will be other network partners in at least China, India and the United States.

To play its part in a global Best Practice Network, the BPIE needs to be knowledgeable about the European activities and scope for improvement in energy efficiency best practice. Energy use in European buildings, to a great extent, contributes about 40% to the European emissions of CO2. In 2006 that amounted to about 4 Gt.

To reach the ambitious long-term targets of reducing CO2 emission levels by at least 60-80% by 2050 will require a major effort on improving building energy efficiency, particularly for existing buildings. This will necessitate a complete rethink of energy use in buildings and the BPIE would play an important role driving this agenda at a European level. The BPIE role is even more important in the context of implementing the new Energy Performance in Buildings Directive.

There is a need for Europe-wide independent analysis and understanding.

The BPIE will be the first point of contact for anyone interested in energy efficiency in European buildings and the overall energy performance; it would provide rigorous evidence-based information and policy guidance to both policy makers and stakeholders at an EU and Member State level.

Thus, the BPIE has a big challenge.

The key audiences and partners are likely to be the European Commission, members of the European Parliament, national policy makers, buildings’ experts at all levels in Europe, industries which contribute to improved energy efficiency in buildings, NGOs and MPs campaigning for a low carbon future as well as building institutions in the individual member states. Although this list is already extensive, it may need to be revised in the light of experience and the growing interest in this area, e.g. the pension funds which own many large buildings.

The Institute is conceived to be an effective player in Europe. It needs to develop strong working relationships with experts and organisations involved in promoting buildings energy efficiency. This is a wide range of actors from academics to policymakers, industry representatives to non-government organisations.