Many unnecessary energy consumption can be prevented with the increasing of the environmental performance of buildings with energy-efficient house design: insulation, renewable energy use, green roofs, passive/active solar design, low energy houses, etc.

49. Stresses the importance of increasing the environmental performance of buildings with energy efficient house design (insulation, renewable energy use, green roofs, passive/active solar design, low energy houses etc.); supports the use of renewable as well as, if possible, locally available energy sources in the urban environment as well as water efficient building design (conservation and re-use of rainwater, rational flush of toilets, water efficient washing machines and dishwashers); further recommends benchmarking and EU-wide sharing of best practice in improving energy efficiency, the introduction of renewable energies and prog ...[+++]ress in sustainable urban construction in general;

49. Stresses the importance of increasing the environmental performance of buildings with energy efficient house design (insulation, renewable energy use, green roofs, passive/active solar design, low energy houses etc.); supports the use of renewable as well as, if possible, locally available energy sources in the urban environment as well as water efficient building design (conservation and re-use of rainwater, rational flush of toilets, water efficient washing machines and dishwashers); further recommends benchmarking and EU-wide sharing of best practice in improving energy efficiency, the introduction of renewable energies and prog ...[+++]ress in sustainable urban construction in general;

The development of industrial scale solutions like prefabricated roof or facade elements combining high insulation standards with integrated solar thermal or PV elements could speed up such practice while raising the productivity in the building industry and cut costs.

Gea-sol's Solar Tile is a functional roof cover allowing the absorption and transformation of the sun's energy into heat.

They have solar collectors on the roof.