To achieve the necessary impact of the EPBD, eceee has made detailed recommendations including:

• In the interim period, provide incentives or rewards for new buildings or renovations which go beyond the national or regional building standards.
• Amend the EU Structural Fund rules so that all cost effective energy efficiency measures must be carried out in any building that receives support for the installation of renewable energy sources from this fund.  Government at all levels should lead by example in deploying and, where appropriate, demonstrating new building designs, construction and technologies in the building stock for which they have direct responsibility.

eceee wants the Commission to:

• Ensure that there are effective enforcement systems in place and assess regularly and independently whether enforcement is effective.
• Undertake a complete re-analysis of the expected impact of the Directive, given the delays that have occurred, in order to have a more complete understanding of expected energy savings and carbon emissions reductions. This is important because such policies as the European Climate Change Policy are expecting certain results and if the EPBD falls short, then other corrective steps may be needed.
• Undertake a review of MS buildings strategies to assess the complementary measures (e.g. financial incentives) able to improve the overall effectiveness of the EPBD, including studying good practice.

eceee wants the European Parliament to:

• Ensure that continuous oversight to the implementation and effectiveness of the EPBD is maintained.
• Request regular updates on the overall effectiveness and impact of the EPBD.

eceee wants Member States at a national level to:

• Ensure that the EPBD particularly targets existing buildings where cost effective.
• Ensure that there are effective enforcement systems in place and assess regularly and independently whether enforcement is effective.
• Develop a monitoring system based on the information included in the building Energy Performance Certificate.
• Adopt and promote a set of complementary measures to ensure the take-off of building Energy Performance Certificates by: information and training campaigns targeted at all market agents in the building sector, namely property owners, architects and designers, building management companies, building development companies, potential auditors, real estate, house owners and consumers.
• Adopt policy instruments for ensuring that the energy efficiency recommendations in the certificate are implemented.
• Adopt a voluntary label for low energy buildings, stronger than the minimum energy performance requirements, in order to create a market for these buildings;
• Implement demonstration projects for net zero energy requirements or net zero carbon buildings, and lead by example on the refurbishment of existing buildings.