BPIE: Europe's buildings under the microscope - PU Europe

Table 2B3 – Reported main impacts and benefits of the EPBD implementation by country
Source: BPIE survey
AT
BE
BG
CH
CY
CZ
DE
DK
EE
ES
FI
FR
GR
HU
Achieved harmonisation of building codes and integration of ventilation, cooling and lighting into the certificate. Also,
some lessons learned were: the need to improve the quality of energy certificates, ensuring proper qualification of
energy consultants, enforcing the obligation to present the energy certificate, and increasing the level of acceptance
of the energy certificate by the real estate sector. In this regard, there are substantial weaknesses which should be
corrected in the course of revising the respective documents and regulations according to the requirements of the
EPBD Recast.
Strengthened or new requirements for insulation, ventilation and technical installations. Some tendencies after
the EPBD implementation appear to be: condensing boilers are more and more being used for heating, buildings
tend to be better thermally insulated, increased use of mechanical ventilation systems with heat recovery, more
attention to the air tightness of the envelope (mostly in low energy buildings, performing (much) better than the
common average in the past) and increased interest in heat pumps.
Strengthened requirements for insulation and glazing U-values; raised national consciousness of energy saving
opportunities
The cantonal regulations in the field of buildings had an additional annual impact of about 3.1 PJ/a between
2000 and 2007 (additional impact every year; final energy use). The expected additional annual impact after the
implementation of the “MuKEn 2008” is quantified at 4.2 PJ/a.
The implementation of the EPBD was the first attempt ever made to regulate energy consumption in buildings.
Thermal insulation requirements were introduced for the first time in 2007 along with greater importance given
to efficient technical systems and solar strategies (shading). After the EPBD implementation, the following
impacts and benefits were observed: improvement of the quality of information on the building products and
better competition between producers and vendors in supplying materials of improved thermal properties,
integration of the importance of efficient technical systems in the energy performance of buildings, also more
designers have shown interest in heat pumps and condensing boilers. Also the EPBD is expected to stimulate
energy savings of 19.9 toe from the residential section and 28.5 from the non-residential sector by 2020.
The performance requirements of renovated buildings have been set at the same level as for new buildings.
Increased energy efficiency standards can contribute more than 220 billion CZK (energy savings, new work
possibilities etc.) to the Czech State budget.
Thermal performance requirements had been in place since 1977. EPBD introduced requirements for building
renovations. Efficiency plays a more important role in building services, the need for better coordination among
all actors has been perceived and the aim of realizing an integrated planning approach seems to have been
boosted.
Energy requirements in place since 1961 were extended to include other regulated energy as a result of the EPBD
Prior to 2008, there had been no legal requirement for insulation levels or technical systems.Depending on
the EPBD implementation scenario, energy savings in buildings can be up to 5% of total energy consumption.
Transposition of the EPBD has not affected investments or investment support schemes targeted at energy
efficiency upgrades in the buildings.
Considerably tougher requirements for building envelopes; use of renewable energy made compulsory in new
buildings
Thermal requirements have been in place since 1976. Energy performance is now based on overall primary
energy consumption.New building regulations were introduced at the beginning of 2010 which will lead to 30%
efficiency improvement in heat consumption in new buildings. Revised energy efficiency parts of the building
code are expected to enter into force at the beginning of 2012. This would mean a further improvement of 20 %
in the efficiency of heat consumption in buildings.
20% improvement due to introduction of requirements for air conditioning, lighting, active solar, renewable, CHP
and natural lighting. The absence or delay in implementing the inspection of boilers has reduced the quality and
precision of Energy Performance Certificates in collective dwellings.
Tighter energy performance requirements
Revised methodology has led to tougher energy performance requirements
70 | Europe’s buildings under the microscope