“It’s about bringing the power back home to the people.” Ann Pettifor

“Power to Renovation” is the second film produced to tell the story of HouseEurope!, a European Citizens’ Initiative with the clear goal to make renovation of existing buildings faster, cheaper and easier, and stop their demolition and reconstruction. The documentary follows experts from across Europe as they explain why demolishing buildings wastes homes, jobs, energy, and history. The film starts by showing the darker side of real estate speculation, then reveals how renovation and transformation are real alternatives, and how we can change our value system through activism and direct democracy.

Every minute, a building in Europe is demolished. By the end of this documentary, 37 more will be gone. Even though existing buildings hold so much within: stories, spaces rich with life and energy from the past. Potentials for tomorrow all of it available at the prices of yesterday. But despite these potentials, neither owners nor politicians care. Because the loss of homes, the loss of energy, and the loss of history hold no price in our current system. Therefore, saving one building would make no difference. What is needed is a change of direction, a new common path to stop this demolition drama and relentless cycle of destruction and instead to empower renovation.

Renovation and transformation are real alternatives proven by thousand of examples and stories, lived by people across Europe and around the world, offering an affordable and sustainable way to live together. What we need are EU laws to make renovation the new norm. In the end it’s a question of political will and vision. Therefore, “Power to Renovation” explores how we can build strong arguments for citizens, politicians, and the industry to recognize and value the already existing.