PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY IN THE EUROPEAN RENEWABLE SECTOR: THE EUROPEAN ENERGY HOUSE SHOWCASE

In 2000, several European renewable energy associations decided to share a common office in order to encourage synergies, and thus the Renewable Energy House concept was born. The number of staff in the house grew rapidly, which led to the original premises rapidly becoming too small, a sustainable energy showcase was set up, Rue d'Arlon 63-65, in the heart of Europe's capital. The energy consumption of the building was reduced by 50% through energy efficiency measures and the remaining needs for heating, lighting, cooling and ventilation were to be met by 100% renewable energy. The Renewable Energy House was inaugurated in March 2006, hosting, at the time, 11 associations and their 45 members of staff. In 2007, following ever increasing activities, the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC), in collaboration with the Global Renewable Energy & Conversation Trust (GRECT), a private foundation created and chaired by HRH Prince Laurent of Belgium, projected to extend the Renewable Energy House to the adjacent building, Rue d'Arlon 67, so as to answer the need for additional space. A new energy concept was designed with the support of the European Commission's Intelligent Energy Europe (IEE) programme (Project New4Old), so as to connect the additional 140 year old building (#67) to the renewable heating and cooling system implemented for the first two (#63 and #65), connecting the three townhouses to one system. A series of adaptations were implemented which continued to develop the concept of 100% renewable energy in an energy efficient building. The extended Renewable Energy House, now composed of 2.800m2 in total and hosting additional associations, was inaugurated in June 2008.

The Renewable Energy House accommodates hundreds of meetings and welcomes thousands of external visitors every year, generating unexpected heat losses and gains. It is much more than just an office for the leading renewable energy industry, trade and research associations. It is a showcase on how to integrate energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies into a historical, listed building. The Renewable Energy House has already attracted more than 20.000 visitors from all over Europe and across the world wanting to learn more about energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.

The Renewable Energy House (REH) is the headquarters for the European renewable energy sector, the focal point for renewable energy issues in the Europe Union's capital, Brussels, close to the European Institutions (the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council). The Renewable Energy House creates synergies between renewable energy stakeholders and allows easy access to information on renewable energy to interested parties and the public at large. In 2013, the European associations located in the Renewable Energy House employs more than 100 staff. The Renewable Energy House brings together major actors in the field of renewable energy in Europe, thereby representing one of the fastest growing economic sectors with an annual economic activity of more than € 130 billion and more than 1 million employees, while meeting 11% of Europe's final energy consumption.

The following associations are all in the Renewable Energy House, under the same roof:

• REH- Renewable Energy House asbl
• EREC- European Renewable Energy Council
• AEBIOM- European Biomass Association
• EGEC- European Geothermal Energy Council
• EPIA- European Photovoltaic Industry Association
• ESHA- European Small Hydropower Association
• ESTELA- European Solar Thermal Electricity Association
• ESTIF- European Solar Thermal Industry Federation
• EUBIA- European Biomass Industry Association
• EUREC- Agency European Renewable Energy Centres Agency
• EU-OEA- European Ocean Energy Association
• EBA- European Biogas Association
• ARE- Alliance for Rural Electrification
• ADEME- French Environment and Energy Management Agency
• EUROFORES- European Forum for Renewable Energy Sources
• EHPA- European Heat Pump Association
• E2BA- Energy Efficient Buildings Association and ECTP- European Construction Technology Platform
• Greenovate! Europe
• HEA- Hydro Equipment Association
• PANGEA- Partners for Euro-African Green Energy
• WidMade- The label for wind users