Copenhagen,
26
May
2009
|
00:00
Europe/Copenhagen

Incentive packages must be long-term in thinking and effect


"Stop-go solutions are not visionary enough. We must look beyond the employment effect of such packages in this time of crisis and come up with long-term proposals to stimulate energy renovation."

"Home owners must be able to see the advantages – not least financially".

That was one of the statements made by VELUX CEO Jørgen Tang-Jensen at the World Business Summit on Climate Change in Copenhagen this week. VELUX was part of "The Danish Carbon Case" demonstrating Denmark's world leading solutions to combat climate change and debating the most important decisions the politicians need to take at the UN climate summit in Copenhagen this December. Apart from VELUX companies like Grundfos, Danfoss and VESTAS were represented in the panel.

Extract from the speech:

"At VELUX we believe it is of immeasurable importance that an ambitious climate agreement with broad-reaching support is reached at December's climate summit. Companies must be given a framework within which they can operate and develop technologies that will contribute to reaching the objectives that will be defined. Buildings must be on the agenda – they account for 40 % of all energy consumption.

As a responsible company, we look to optimise our products and devise solutions for sustainable, CO2-neutral building. But getting those solutions implemented in practice requires legislative frameworks and political incentives.

In great parts of the world – not least Western Europe - by far the greatest part of the problem is the existing building stock – that is 99 % of all buildings. We welcome incentives for energy renovation of housing that will improve insulation standards, ensure better indoor climate with more daylight and better ventilation and support renewable energy like solar energy.

Incentive packages must be long-term in thinking and effect and provide predictability for the individual home owner. This could be done through measures such as property taxes tied to property CO2 emission, by making attractive loans available to house owners who renovate windows, modernise their energy installations or install solar thermal equipment.

Words on CO2 reduction must be transformed into frameworks for action".