Sustainable buildings for a resilient society
The Healthy Buildings Barometer is an annual research-based report that takes the pulse of Europe's building stock. Since our first Healthy Homes Barometer in 2015, our ambition has been to work with accredited research partners to investigate the state of Europe's housing stock and highlight the importance of improving buildings to address health and climate concerns.
The majority of the world’s population lives in buildings in cities and suburbs, and Europe is no exception. Europe’s buildings are, on average, old, inefficient, and not particularly healthy. We know that individuals, societies and the planet can all benefit from better buildings. The UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 focuses on Sustainable Cities and Communities, and the Healthy Buildings Barometers demonstrate how such buildings can help in achieving this goal.
The reports examine different types of buildings and their deficiencies in a range of settings to establish how to best target renovation efforts and improve building legislation. The ultimate goal is to boost the renovation rate and reap the rewards of a healthy, efficient building stock. The payoff is a better indoor climate that safeguards the health of individuals, and improved energy efficiency thereby reducing environmental impact.
Healthy Buildings Barometer 2024
The Healthy Buildings Barometer 2024, was developed with the Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE), a leading independent centre of expertise in the energy performance of buildings. It expands its scope from previous editions of the barometer beyond homes, to include workplaces, schools, and hospitals – offering a comprehensive view of Europe’s building stock.
The report introduces a new five dimension framework for defining healthy buildings that includes looking at whether buildings are: improving mental and physical health, sustainably built and managed, empowering people, designed for human needs and resilient and adaptive. It also highlights ten policy gaps and provides recommendations to align renovation efforts with the Paris Agreement’s 2050 decarbonisation goals.
Europe is standing on the cusp of a Renovation Wave with the potential to tackle the climate crisis by decarbonising our building stock. This report underscores the urgent need to prioritize sustainable, resilient, and energy efficient buildings that improve health, well being, and environmental outcomes. Designed as a tool for policymakers and industry stakeholders, it emphasizes both the scale of current challenges and practical pathways toward healthier, more sustainable buildings across Europe.