As part of the 2024 European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW), the  Architects’ Council of Europe (ACE) organised a public seminar on Thursday 13 June to showcase awarded projects from across the EU. The session was an opportunity for policy makers, practitioners, and the wider public to discuss the barriers and enablers to scaling up design excellence as part of member state adoption of the NEB, Level(s), and the EPBD.

The European Union, Member States and cities have embarked on a profound and radical renewal of our built environment to rise to the social, economic, and climate challenges of our times. The Architects Council of Europe has long advocated for a regulatory framework to enable the creation of healthier, more inclusive and pleasing spaces that are resilient to climate change, are affordable, and can be created and maintained with less energy and the circular use of natural resources.   

Architectural Awards and Prizes are a source of inspiration, demonstrating how the sector can rise to this immense challenge. With the recent adoption of the recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and the New European Bauhaus (NEB) movement, many critical factors will be in place to begin to address these pressing issues.   

With keynote presentations from:  
- Max HACKE, Winner of the 2024 EUMies Award for the Study Pavilion on the campus of the Technical University of Braunschweig (together with Gustav Düsing). Find out more about his presentation here.
- Sophie MAURER, Architect, Luxembourg Government- Public Building administration, Winning project of  the 2024 NEB Prizes for the transformation of the Lycée Michel Lucius. Find out more about her presentation here.
- Jose TORAL, Peris + Toral Arquitectes, Winner of the Construmat Awards 2024 Sustainability for 85 Social Housing Units in Cornellà de Llobrega. Find out more about his presentation here.

Pecha Kucha - presentations:
- Hugo PLAGNOL, Architect, Finnish Association of Architects (SAFA). Find out more about his presentation here.
- Gearóid CARVILL, Climate Change advisor, Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI), Ireland. Find out more about his presentation here.
- Ruta LEITANAITE, Architect, Member of the Board of Architects Association of Lithuania (AAL). Find out more about her presentation here.
 - Juan Antonio ORTIZ ORUETA, Vice President of the High Council of Spanish Architects' Associations (CSCAE). Find out more about his presentation here.
 - Eva ALVAREZ, Architect, professor University of Valencia, CSCAE. Find out more about her presentation here.

The seminar was moderated by Dr. Judit KIMPIAN, Chair of the ACE Sustainability Work Group and Andre PIZZUTO, Member of the ACE Executive Board. The programme is available here.

The event is co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union.
*Picture: Study Pavilion , campus of TU Braunschweig, Germany by Gustav Düsing and Max Hacke. Photo: Iwan Baan.