Engineers conference highlights growing importance of energy efficiency in buildings

Sustainable practices and outcomes in the construction industry took centre stage at a conference organised by the Chamber of Engineers, with an address by Planning Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi highlighting the increasing importance of buildings’ energy efficiency in relation to bank financing.

The Chamber of Engineers organised the 29th Annual Engineering Conference titled Sustainable Development Goals: An Engineering Perspective. This conference addressed the challenges and opportunities that engineers are facing in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals according to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

These goals include the sanitation and supply of clean water, affordable and clean energy, industry and innovation, sustainable cities and communities, and responsible consumption and production.

During his address, Minister Zrinzo Azzopardi stated that priority should be given to those projects that are contributing to our country’s effort in reaching its environmental goals regarding emissions.

“The entire building and property sector must update itself to these realities. The Energy Performance certificate that certifies the energy efficiency of each building will gain more importance. There are clear indications that the energy efficiency of each property will begin to affect whether a person obtains bank financing and the price of that financing”, stated Minister Zrinzo Azzopardi.

He stated that the change that this country wants to make towards an economy that is almost free of emissions is central to the development of the economic model of the future. The engineering profession has a great contribution to make so that Malta reaches the 2050 Sustainable Development Goals as declared by the United Nations.

Minister Zrinzo Azzopardi praised the profession of engineers whilst explaining how such a conference leads us to see the way forward towards more energy efficiency in the building and development of our country. These are goals in which engineers play an important role in the implementation process in order to make the necessary changes that leave a positive impact on the public, both from an economic point of view and in their quality of life.

The minister concluded his speech by thanking the Chamber of Engineers for their work whilst auguring for further collaboration.

President of the Chamber of Engineers Engr. Malcolm Zammit stated that, “This conference is an opportunity for the engineering community and stakeholders to discuss technical and engineering solutions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.” Engr. Zammit expressed his satisfaction for the positive participation from various fields and explained how the Chamber of Engineers today is an organisation that is constantly growing and that constantly discusses ways and means of improving as well as safeguarding the profession.

In their speeches, both Minister Zrinzo Azzopardi and Engr. Zammit congratulated Engineer Michelle Cortis, who, a few days ago, became the first Maltese engineer elected to the Executive Board of the European Federation for National Engineering Associations (FEANI) for the next three years. They described this as a milestone that will open a new chapter in the international relations of the engineering profession in Malta.