Improving the performance and resilience of the existing building stock is a strategic priority, Cyprus Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Alexis Vafeades, said on Thursday at the European Conference on Architectural Policies (ECAP 2026) held in Nicosia.
Addressing the conference, Vafeades said Cyprus holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union ‘at a critical moment for Europe’, with the built environment ‘at the forefront of today’s challenges’.
‘The challenges of climate change, energy transition, housing affordability and social cohesion require decisive and coordinated action,’ he said, noting that the built environment ’emerges not merely as a sector of activity, but as a strategic field of policy intervention’.
Referring to the European Green Deal and the New European Bauhaus, the Minister said they place ‘sustainability, aesthetics and inclusion at the core of this transition’.
‘Architecture is not only about buildings; it is about shaping resilient societies and improving the quality of life of all citizens,’ he added.
Vafeades said the conference offers ‘a high-level platform for dialogue’ on integrating sustainability principles into the design, construction, renovation and adaptive reuse of buildings.
He added that architectural policy plays a key role ‘in advancing the decarbonisation of the building stock, promoting circular construction practices and fostering innovation’.
The Minister also said that the conference highlights the shift ‘from a predominant model where demolition and reconstruction have too often prevailed, towards an approach that prioritises renovation, adaptive reuse and preservation’.
‘The reuse of existing buildings is not only an environmental necessity, but also a cultural and social imperative,’ he said, adding that it helps safeguard architectural heritage, strengthen local identity and support more sustainable and inclusive urban development.
Referring to Cyprus, Vafeades noted that the country faces significant needs in upgrading its existing building stock, while recognising the importance of policies combining sustainability, heritage preservation and contemporary needs.
‘Improving the performance and resilience of the existing building stock is not optional; it is a strategic priority,’ he stressed.
He added that the development of a National Architectural Policy constitutes ‘an important step’ in this direction.
Vafeades also said the transition towards a climate-neutral built environment ‘cannot be achieved through isolated actions’, but requires ‘coherent policy frameworks, interdisciplinary cooperation and the active participation of all stakeholders’.