EFB Open Meeting – the Course for a Nature-Positive Built Environment in Europe
On 21 October 2025, we successfully hosted our latest Open Meeting-European Update, a digital gathering that was organised to bring together experts, policymakers, and industry leaders to discuss the news and updates of green infrastructure, European policy, and the transition to a nature-positive economy.
The meeting was organized by European Federation of Green Roof and Living Walls Associations (EFB) in collaboration with the Horizon Europe GoNaturePositive! Project , World Green Infrastructure Network (WGIN) and EFB Member Associations Svaz zakládání a údržby zeleně, z.s. (SZÚZ) – Asociace zelených střech a fasád (AZSF) and Bundesverband GebäudeGrün e. V. (BuGG)
The recording of the event is available here: https://youtu.be/J5BCWMBTGaM
The meeting was opened by Dusty Gedge, EFB Ambassador, who provided an overview of the Federation’s growing network and its role in fostering collaboration, expertise, and democratic dialogue across Europe.
The event underscored a central theme: the end of the European Green Deal’s legislative phase marks the beginning of a crucial implementation period.
As Antonin Chapelot (WGIN) and Katharina Kopp (EFB) presented, a new guidebook is being developed to help national and local policymakers translate complex EU directives: The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, The Energy Efficiency Directive, The Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, and The Nature Restoration Regulation into actionable steps for deploying green roofs and walls.
“This document aims to simplify and explain what is happening at the EU level,” Antonin Chapelot stated. “There’s a potential risk that local implementers are unaware that green infrastructure is a recognised solution within these laws. Our goal is to ensure they have the tools to use it effectively.”
This sentiment was echoed by Benjamin Kupilas (Ecologic Institute), who presented a comprehensive policy mapping for the GoNaturePositive! project. He emphasised that while over half of the global GDP is dependent on nature, our economic systems remain a primary driver of its degradation. “A nature-positive economy means that the net result of all our economic activities should lead to an absolute increase in nature,” Benjamin Kupilas explained. His analysis revealed that while EU policies are “saying the right things,” a reliance on voluntary action and conflicting subsidies still hinders progress.
Moving from policy to practical application, Rebecca Landwehr (Bundesverband GebäudeGrün e. V. (BuGG)) showcased a German project focused on retrofitting green roofs and walls onto existing buildings. She highlighted the unique challenges, with building statics being the primary concern, but demonstrated through a series of case studies – from a small private carport to a large listed office building – that solutions are available and viable, especially when coupled with municipal funding programs.
“Motivation often starts with a need for roof repair or energy renovation, not necessarily green,” Rebecca Landwehr noted. “This is why we need to train all trades, from energy consultants to roofers, to advise on building greening as a synergistic solution.”
The power of inspiration was further illustrated by Pavel Dostal (SZÚZ – AZSF), who presented the annual Czech Green Roof Competition. This initiative successfully raises public awareness by showcasing the best national projects, from biodiverse family homes to retrofitted panel buildings. “The competition generates a lot of stories and photos that we can use to promote the idea of green roofs,” said Pavel Dostal. “It provides tangible evidence for nature-positive impacts in our cities.”
The discussions made it clear that a collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach is essential. The EFB Open Meeting concluded with a look ahead, inviting participants to join upcoming activities, including a road-mapping workshop to define concrete steps for the building sector’s transition to a nature-positive state.
The EFB community continues to be at the forefront of greening European cities. To learn more, get involved, contact us: office@efb-greenroof.eu.
Let’s build a greener, nature-positive future, together!