Social and cooperative housing makes up 12% of the EU's housing stock, if 4% of stock is refurbished annually, backed up with a sustained change in residents' behaviour, this can help deliver 30% reduction in energy consumption by 2020. The Offer to fight climate change from Europe's cooperative and social housing providers explains more in details what is the potential and the missing strategies to reach a refurbishment rate of a million dwellings annually, representing the creation of almost 350.000 jobs across Europe each year.

CECODHAS – HOUSING EUROPE will present its Copenhagen Offer at the conference Climate Neutral Cities: Plans, Projects and Partnerships which will take place on the 17th of December as an official Side Event within the United Nations Climate Change Conference.

The initiative has so far met the support of a number of EU officials:

"Realizing the energy savings possibilities in buildings clearly has a number of environmental, social and economic benefits. Addressing specifically social housing is very important as it

improves the living conditions and reduces the energy bills of the most disadvantaged Europeans while at the same time creates jobs locally. That is why I fully support this initiative."

– Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs

"This is an excellent initiative. Members of Cecodhas can play a leading role in improving the energy efficiency of existing homes in great numbers, not only increasing quality of life for less

privileged people, but setting the right example for private and commercial houseowners and authorities. Governments and local authorities should finally prioritize energy efficiency over

increasing energy supply and the buildings sector has the largest potential."

– John Hontelez, Secretary General European Environmental Bureau

"In the past years, the European Parliament has always considered energy efficiency in the housing sector as an opportunity which was not sufficiently considered by EU policies. The recent

changes in eligibility criteria to structural funds, allowing energy improvements in housing to be supported as request by the Parliament, will partly fill this gap. The CECODHAS proposal could

surely be a step forward in using this new opportunity."

– Mr. Jan Olbrycht, MEP

"Housing is one area where the full potential to reduce the carbon footprint has not yet been realised, despite many obvious social, economic and environmental benefits. So, I warmly

welcome this pledge from the social housing sector to take a lead by reducing its emissions and hope that the EU will talk the talk on climate change by facilitating the commitment. "

– Ms. Caroline Lucas, MEP

CECODHAS – HOUSING EUROPE is the European Committee for social and cooperatives housing, a network of national and regional social housing federations gathering public, voluntary and cooperatives housing organisations. Together the 45 members in 19 EU members States manage 25 millions dwellings.

CECODHAS members work together for a Europe that provides access to decent and affordable housing for all in communities which are socially, economically and environmentally sustainable and where all are enabled to reach their full potential.