40. Recalls that 40% of all EU energy is used in buildings and that there is a huge potential to reduce this consumption so that renewable energies might cover all energy needs in this sector; notes the progress made in the energy design and bio-construction of new buildings where the integration of solar architecture, insulation and renewable energies is leading to low energy, passive energy and even plus energy houses (those which produce more energy over a year than they consume); asks the Commission to develop by the end of 2007 ...[+++] an implementation programme for the large scale deployment of passive and net positive energy houses and buildings in the EU;

39. Recalls that 40% of all EU energy is used in buildings and that there is a huge potential to reduce this consumption so that renewable energies might cover all energy needs in this sector; notes the progress made in the energy design and bio-construction of new buildings where the integration of solar architecture, insulation and renewable energies is leading to low energy, passive energy and even plus energy houses (those which produce more energy over a year than they consume); asks the Commission to develop by the end of 2007 ...[+++] an implementation programme for the large scale deployment of passive and net positive energy houses and buildings in the EU;

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;

In the field of solar energy they will centre on the problem of integrating and making use of technologies for thermal applications of solar energy and photovoltaic conversion in houses and office buildings - in other words 'the solar house'.

- The solar housing programme established in 1992 has selected 49 architectural projects aimed at altering or building housing which makes maximum use of solar energy.

- Energy The aim will be to increase energy efficiency (fuel cells, batteries for electric vehicles, etc.), improve the technologies now used (nuclear safety, reduction in polluting emissions, etc.), develop the energies of the future (design of solar housing, new generation of windmills, thermonuclear fusion, etc.) and take socio-economic factors into account.