On 23 September 2025, the final conference of the REDI4HEAT project took place in Brussels, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, and local authorities to discuss how to accelerate renewable heating and cooling for a decarbonised Europe. Organised by the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA), the event showcased the project’s achievements under the EU LIFE programme, including strategic policy priorities, adoption scenarios, best practices, and toolboxes designed to support the implementation of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED).
The high-level agenda featured contributions from the European Commission, the Centre for Renewable Energy Sources and Savings (CRES), project partners and external experts. Two panels provided a platform for interactive discussion on achievements, challenges, and the way forward for Europe’s heating and cooling transition.
REHVA’s contribution to the first panel
REHVA Policy & Advocacy Officer Francesco Robimarga contributed to the first panel discussion, “Renewable heating: Has the European Clean Energy Deal delivered?”, alongside representatives from Iberdrola, the Regulatory Assistance Project, and Enerplan. Moderated by Sanjeev Kumar (EGEC), the panel reflected on Europe’s progress in the energy transition, with a special focus on heating and cooling.
From REHVA’s perspective, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) stands out as one of the most impactful EU policies, having introduced a holistic approach to energy performance — from building needs to primary energy — while emphasising the importance of indoor environmental quality. As reaffirmed in the REHVA Manifesto, energy efficiency and healthy indoor environments must be addressed together, recognising that the building is not just an energy consumer but also an energy producer interacting with the wider grid.
Francesco stressed that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to decarbonising heating and cooling, echoing the REHVA Manifesto’s call for tailored, integrated approaches. Buildings must be optimised on a case-by-case basis, ensuring affordability and feasibility while still meeting EU climate objectives. Electrification is a key pillar, but its impact depends on how electricity is produced. Complementary solutions such as passive building design, renewable gases, hybrid systems, or local storage must also play their part to ensure resilience and flexibility.
On the regulatory side, Francesco highlighted the relevance of the Ecodesign framework and the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) for district heating, while warning that the lack of harmonisation in national transpositions of EU legislation remains a major barrier. Divergent calculation methods and fragmented national rules increase costs for industry, complicate design work, and slow down the deployment of efficient technologies. To address this, he underlined the need to strengthen European-level standardisation, with REHVA and its spin-off EPB Center actively supporting the revision of standards, such as those for heat pump performance.
Finally, Francesco called for better integration of professional feedback into the EU policy process. While public consultations and “Have your say” platforms are steps forward, more structured dialogue with experts is needed to ensure policies reflect technical realities on the ground. Policymakers should continue to set ambitious targets but allow flexibility in how they are achieved — delivering genuine EU added value through harmonisation, cooperation, and knowledge sharing.