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

EPBD recast (main provisions, impact and implementation)
Main provisions
Despite the actions already undertaken, a large cost-effective energy savings potential was not exploited. As a
result, many of the social, economic and environmental potential benefits at EU and national level are still not
fully explored. In addition to the complexity of the sector and the existence of market failures, the limitations
of the initial EPBD implementation represented a supplementary obstacle.
To tackle these challenges, in 2010, amendments to the EPBD were finalised and published. In addition to the
previous requirements, the EPBD recast added several new or strengthened requirements, in particular:
• Setting up EU–wide nearly Zero Energy Buildings requirements: by the end of 2020 all newly
constructed buildings will have to consume ‘nearly zero’ energy and the energy will have to be ‘to a very
large extent’ from renewable sources. As for new buildings occupied and owned by public authorities, this
requirement must be met from the beginning of 2019 onwards.
• Development of national plans for increasing the number of nZEB buildings: the Member
States ‘shall draw up national plans for increasing the number of nearly Zero Energy Buildings. These plans
may include targets differentiated according to the category of building’ and will also include information
on national policies, measures and targets on nearly Zero Energy Buildings.
• Abolishment of the 1000 m² threshold for major renovations: The recast extended the scope
of the initial EPBD to almost all existing and new buildings and removed the 1000 m 2 threshold for major
renovations (this threshold excluded 72% of the building stock). When existing buildings undergo ‘major
renovation 30 ’, their energy performance should be upgraded in order to meet the minimum energy
performance requirements. Member States shall furthermore follow the leading example of the public
sector by developing policies and take measures such as targets in order to stimulate the transformation of
buildings that are refurbished into nZEB.
• Setting up energy performance requirements at cost-optimal levels: Member States need to
ensure minimum energy performance requirements for buildings and to set them at cost-optimal levels.
This level shall be calculated based on a comparative methodology framework that will be defined in detail
by the Commission.
• Independent control systems for EPC and inspection reports: the authorities responsible for the
implementation of the control system shall make a random sampling check of the quality of the energy
performance certificates and inspection reports issued annually.
• Requiring an inspection report for heating and air-conditioning systems: an inspection report
shall be issued after each heating or air-conditioning system inspection containing the results of it and
including recommendations for the cost-effective improvement of the energy performance of the inspected
system and handed over to the owner or tenant of the building.
• Reinforcement of the energy certification of the buildings: energy certification was already
foreseen in the initial version of the Directive but experienced an unsatisfactory level of implementation
within EU27 Member States. The new Directive requires the energy performance certificates to be issued
for any new building and for any building that is traded on the market (sold or rented), to include a
recommendation for energy performance improvements based on economic consideration.
Impact assessment
The following savings/impacts are predicted to be achieved through the new or reinforcement provisions
of the EPBD recast.
72 | Europe’s buildings under the microscope