Oliver Rapf is the executive director of Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE), a think-tank with a focus on energy and the built environment. He is an expert in NGO management and strategy development, private sector climate change strategies, energy and climate policy, sustainable business and stakeholder consultation, and lobbying and advocacy on climate and energy issues.

Before joining BPIE, Oliver worked for the global conservation organisation WWF in various roles. Oliver’s experience in building efficiency goes back to the late 90s when he was a project leader for several deep renovation projects on behalf of WWF in cooperation with housing companies across Germany. Other roles include the position of deputy head of WWF’s European Climate Change and Energy Policy Unit. Oliver participated in UNFCCC negotiations and was the leader of the German NGO coalition at international climate change negotiations.

Through his leadership, Oliver has grown BPIE into a financially independent non-profit organisation and trusted thought leader on the energy performance of buildings in Europe and globally. He is a Steering Committee member of the UN-hosted Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction and serves on the Advisory Board of the Active House Alliance. Oliver has also been active as a jury member of the environmental business and sustainable architecture awards and serves on private sector environmental advisory boards.

Oliver graduated from Heidelberg University in Geography, Economics, and Political Science (1995). He supported his professional development with executive training, including the University of Oxford in High Performance leadership Training (2014) and WWF Leader College (2007). Oliver is based in Brussels, Belgium.

The buildings we live, work and play in should be sustainable, healthy and resilient spaces. Our many projects at BPIE pinpoint opportunities to integrate climate, health, sustainability and resilience into building policies. We need to put people at the heart of the shift to a sustainable future – and I’m excited to be part of this change.