The Section for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure of the EESC (European Economic and Social) has organized the event Save it! Energy Efficiency Days, held in Brussels between 22 and 25 September as a prelude to the "Overshoot Day", an international day established in 1987 to raise awareness about the problem of ecological deficit, and which marks the day when humanity starts using more natural resources than the planet can produce in a sustainable way every year.

This public 4-day event is centred around a temporary sustainable building to be erected on Quai aux Briques (Sainte Catherine) in the heart of Brussels: the Pallet House, winner of the 2008 European Student competition on sustainable architecture organised by the 'Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine' in Paris within the frame of the European programme GAUDI, directed by the 'International Centre for Urbanism, Architecture and Landscape' (CIVA).

The building, made entirely of recycled wooden pallets used previously in commercial storage activities,  lends itself perfectly to communicate contents of the energy efficiency, energy innovation and employment and the role of energy policy in the economic recovery.

By attending Save it! Energy Efficiency Days of the EESC, citizens would have the opportunity to:

• Visit the Pallet House
• Find out what the EU is doing and speak with EESC members about energy efficiency
• xperience energy efficiency with hands-on experiments
• Discover ways to reduce their own energy consumption
• Learn about energy efficient technologies
• Take part in games and quizzes
• Watch live art performances

Saving energy is up to everyone

• Reducing energy consumption is one of the main goals of the European Union (EU)
• The EU has pledged to save 20% of annual consumption of primary energy by 2020 (compared to the energy consumption forecasts for 2020)
• Improving energy efficiency is important for competitiveness, security of supply and for meeting the commitments on climate change made under the Kyoto Protocol
• Energy efficiency is the most cost effective way to do so
• The EESC places strong emphasis on the important role of civil society for improving energy efficiency
• There is significant potential for reducing consumption
• All concerned, from laypersons to big corporations, can contribute greatly to energy savings