The "zero-energy buildings" target was one of a number of amendments adopted earlier this month in the parliament's industry committee to be endorsed by the full assembly.

The parliament also backed the committee's demand that the commission should create an EU energy efficiency fund by 2014 to finance efficiency improvements in buildings. In addition member states must implement at least two national financing instruments from a list of seven added to the law by MEPs, such as VAT reductions and direct subsidies.

MEPs approved a key plank of the commission's original proposal, whereby all buildings in Europe undergoing a major renovation would have to meet minimum national energy efficiency standards. Currently the requirement only applies to buildings over 1,000 square metres.

But the parliament said such "cost-optimal" efficiency standards should be set according to a common EU methodology established by 2010, rather than using governments' own calculations as proposed by the commission.

Andrew Warren from efficient buildings industry association EuroAce welcomed the parliament's amendments on financing instruments – an element he said was largely absent from the commission's proposals.

"The most encouraging sign is that all these amendments were approved by parliament with a majority of ten-to-one," Mr Warren added. This will give the parliament a strong hand in future negotiations with EU governments on the rules, he said.

Mr Warren also played down reports of opposition by some governments to the revised directive. "The issue in the council of ministers is not on the principle, but on some of the details," he said. The new rules will be finalised before the end of the year under the Swedish EU presidency, he predicted.