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Housing and buildings account for one third of the total energy consumption in the UNECE region. Buildings can have life spans of more than 150 years, and so an investment in energy efficiency can lead to large environmental, social and economic benefits over time.
Promoting energy efficiency mitigates climate change, reduces costs, provides energy security, and leads to higher living comfort.
To highlight the importance of this topic, the United Nations Economic Commision for Europe (UNECE) and the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) hosted an exhibition on energy-efficiency practices and their benefits. The exhibition included examples of the application of cost-efficient energy efficiency technologies in buildings.
"Greener and smarter homes", 15 September - 10 October 2014
An exhibition on energy efficiency technologies in buildings at the Palais des Nations
The exhibition featured three energy-efficiency programmes at three levels:
- The building level: information on the Heritage Plan to improve the energy efficiency of the Palais des Nations, home to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
- The municipal level: an exhibition of energy-efficient technologies from the industrial company Services Industriels de Genève serving the canton of Geneva, as well as from the association Energy Cities to introduce their energy efficiency iniciaties and implementations.
- The regional level: information on the activities of the UNECE Committee on Housing and Land Management – case studies from member States, demonstration of recommendations on renovation and building technologies in the UNECE publication DocGood Practices for Energy-Efficient Housing in the UNECE Region.
The exhibition was co-organized by the UNECE Committee on Housing and Land Management; the United Nations Office at Geneva; the public service organization SIG, a provider of utility services for the Canton of Geneva; and Energy Cities- European Association of Local Authorities in Energy Transition.
The presentation of the exhibition included examples of the application of cost- and energy-efficient technologies in buildings.
Agenda of the presentation of the exhibition “Greener and smarter homes: energy efficiency in buildings”, 8 October 2014, 13:00 - 14:30
- Christian Friis Bach, Executive Secretary, UNECE
- Jan Dusik, Acting Director, UNEP Regional Office for Europe
- Florent Covino, Officer, Services Industriels de Genève (SIG)
- Ian Turner, Project Manager, Energy Cities
The presentation was moderated by Virginia Cram-Martos, Director of the Economic Cooperation, Trade, and Land Management Unit