In October 2011, delegates from Norway's Statsbygg visited Ecologic Institute to gain new perspectives on European and German approaches to sustainable renewable energy solutions, smart grid implementation and smart buildings.

Statsbygg, a Norwegian government agency responsible for building commissioning and property management, was particularly interested in strategies available to public builders to prepare for and implement current and future environmental regulations. The discussion highlighted both environmental challenges and opportunities linked to the efficient management and operation of buildings.

The discussion was framed by three presentations by Ecologic Institute on different topics relevant to the building industry. Max Grünig presented information on smart grids, including potential applications for smart technologies and insights from the Smart Energy Dialog. Developed by the Ecologic Institute and hosted by the Hertie School of Governance, the Smart Energy Dialog provides a platform for experts to exchange ideas and approaches to facilitate the transformation of the energy sector towards Smart Energy.

In an overview of Germany’s perspective on local energy production, Gesa Homann identified regulatory and financial support measures in Germany and the EU, as well as findings from the Public Acceptance of Renewable Energy project. Lucas Porsch followed with a presentation on the EU’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and German energy performance policies, outlining specific challenges in retrofitting the existing building stock.

The presentation [pdf, 1.2 MB, English] is available for download.