Buildings consume more than 40 % of Europe’s energy use. The Directive on Energy Performance in Buildings (EPBD) is the main legislative instrument affecting energy use and efficiency in the building sector in the EU and is important as it tackles both new build and the existing housing stock.

Given its share in European energy end-use, buildings are a natural focus area for the European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, eceee. On Thursday, this pan-European energy efficiency NGO launched a policy brief on the EPBD http://www.eceee.org/european_directives/buildings.

This document follows a consultation among eceee's members, and provides the association’s position on the directive as well as recommendations for its further development.

“We are very supportive of this directive and would wish to see it implemented in full and as quickly as possible”, Dr Eoin Lees, vice chair of eceee said.

Too many Member States dragging their feet

As is well known, transposing the EPBD into national legislation has been slower than was envisaged. eceee therefore wants the EU and national governments to fully implement and benefit from the existing directive as soon as possible and we make detailed recommendations to achieve this. In particular, we want to see an effective enforcement system in place for compliance with building regulations and a speeding up of the introduction of Energy Performance Certificates. “Too many Member States are dragging their feet over the introduction of Energy Performance Certificates”, said Dr Lees.

The existing directive is only a beginning. To realise the significant energy saving potential which lies in the European building sector, the current directive will need to be strengthened. Indeed, the EU Commission has already indicated in its 2006 Energy Efficiency Action Plan that this will be one of its top priorities. To achieve this eceee has made detailed recommendations including:

• Setting out a timeframe (possibly as early as 2015) by which all new buildings will be required to have net zero energy requirements on net zero carbon emissions when averaged over the year.

• In the interim period, provide incentives or rewards for new buildings or renovations which go beyond the national or regional building standards.

• Lower the size of the threshold for buildings undergoing major renovations which have to meet minimum performance requirements and include individual houses.

• Regularly update minimum performance requirements for building components such as windows, roof insulation, ventilation, office lighting and boilers which should be fulfilled when these components are changed or are renovated.

• Amend the EU Structural Fund rules so that all cost effective energy efficiency measures must be carried out in any building which 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.

Complementary efforts needed

Legislation alone cannot achieve the full energy saving potential in buildings. It needs to be accompanied by efforts to change attitudes and behaviour to energy use within buildings without which the maximum benefit of sustainable energy technologies will not be achieved.

Furthermore, to achieve rapid takeoff of the savings that should arise (e.g. from the introduction of building Energy Performance Certificates), there needs to be information and awareness raising campaigns aimed at building owners and training campaigns targeted at all market agents in the building sector.

Finally, it is important that the energy and carbon dioxide savings arising from the implementation of the EPBD are reported in a harmonised reporting framework such as that being agreed under the EU Directive on End Use Efficiency and Energy Services.

The policy brief and dedicated buildings pages are found here:

Contacts for the press:

On eceee’s buildings policy. Dr Eoin Lees (vice chair) + 44-771-0438 769
About eceee. Mr Nils Borg (Director) + 46-70-585 31 74