On Monday, June 2nd, the COAC headquarters hosted the event “House Europe! Never Demolish”, organized by COAC, the Mies van der Rohe Foundation, and AUS – Architecture and Sustainability, as part of the Decarbonizing Architecture project and within the framework of the Barcelona Architecture Weeks.
The session began with an institutional welcome by Greta Tresserra (COAC / AUS), who emphasized the importance of promoting structural changes in the construction sector to tackle the climate crisis, placing the renovation and reuse of buildings at the center of decarbonization strategies.
Anna Ramos, director of the Mies van der Rohe Foundation and host of the event, introduced Ivan Blasi, the Foundation’s Director of Awards and Programs, who presented the European Citizens’ Initiative House Europe! Upon discovering about the proposal—led by architects such as Lacaton & Vassal—Blasi took on the role of National Organising Member for Spain, actively supporting its dissemination and implementation.
“House Europe! Never demolish”
The initiative promotes a paradigm shift in the construction sector, prioritizing the renovation and reuse of existing buildings over their demolition. It proposes, among other measures:
– tax incentives for building renovation and material reuse,
– the implementation of mandatory EU-wide standards,
– and the expansion of life-cycle assessments of existing buildings, including embedded CO₂.
In order for the initiative to be considered by the European Commission, 1 million signatures must be collected by January 2026. You can support it here.
The session continued with the screening of the documentary “Power to Renovation – A Question of Value”, which reinforces the need to prioritize rehabilitation over the dominant new construction model. You can watch the full video of the session here:
Following the documentary, a round table discussion was held, moderated by Anna Ramos, with the participation of:
- Greta Tresserra (COAC / AUS), who provided an expert perspective with alarming data on the link between the built environment and climate change, and emphasized the urgent need to change the model in both the construction sector and the architectural profession.
- Ivan Blasi (Mies van der Rohe Foundation), who highlighted the importance of preserving architectural heritage and ensuring quality in renovation processes.
- Irene Civera (Mentrestant), who shared examples of cooperative housing projects rooted in social and environmental values.
- Eduard Cabré (IMHAB), who outlined current challenges and opportunities in public policies promoting energy-efficient and sustainable renovation.
The discussion with the audience offered the opportunity to address key issues such as regulations, material reuse, the need for new fiscal frameworks, and the crucial role of European policies.
The event concluded with remarks by Sandra Bestraten, President of the Barcelona Chapter of the COAC, who emphasized the role of the College in promoting energy renovation and implementing Next Generation funding programs.
From AUS, we thank all participants and reaffirm our commitment to an architecture that embraces sustainability, renovation, and reuse as essential paths to decarbonizing our built environment.