Today, the building industry is responsible for 38% of global annual CO2 emissions. Yet, property speculation has resulted in a system in which it is more lucrative to demolish and build anew than to update what we have. In Europe, by 2050 about 2 billion square meters of existing space—the sum of all Germany’s building stock—will have been knocked down, only to be replaced by new construction. In this video, Alina Kolar introduces HouseEurope!, the European Citizens’ Initiative campaigning for a slate of progressive new EU laws to curb demolition and make renovation the new norm. Petitioning the union to recognize the value of the existing in its incentives for development, the initiative advocates for renovation as a common path toward a more equitable and sustainable construction sector, saving homes, jobs, energy, and histories.