Nearly zero-energy buildings in Central and Eastern EU: Possible definitions and implementation roadmaps for Poland, Romania and Bulgaria

Panel: 5B. Cutting the energy use of buildings: Policy and programmes

This is a peer-reviewed paper.

Authors:
Bogdan Atanasiu, European Commission, Belgium
Markus Offermann, Ecofys GmbH Germany, Germany
Jan Groezinger, Ecofys GmbH Germany, Germany
Bernhard Manteuffel, Ecofys GmbH Germany, Germany
Thomas Boermans, Ecofys GmbH Germany, Germany
Piotr Pawlak, BuildDesk Poland, Poland
Konrad Witczak, BuildDesk Poland, Poland
Horia Petran, INCD URBAN-INCERC, Romania
Zdravko Genchev, EnEffect, Bulgaria
Stanislav Andreev, EnEffect, Bulgaria

Abstract

The recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) requires EU Member States (MSs) to construct only nearly Zero-Energy Buildings (nZEB) from 2019 for public buildings and from 2021 for all new buildings. Acknowledging Europe’s diversity and adding flexibility, EPBD requires MSs to draw up specifically national nZEB definitions and national plans reflecting national, regional or local conditions. These plans must translate the nZEB requirement into practical and applicable measures and definitions to steadily increase the number of nZEB. Several EU MSs have already started to do so, others not. The current economic crisis and related budgetary constriction have resulted in the nZEB requirement no longer being a political priority for many of these latter countries.

This paper shows the main findings of three country studies released in autumn 2012 and aiming to support the national efforts to draw up affordable yet ambitious nZEB definitions and implementation roadmaps for Poland, Romania and Bulgaria.

Starting from the analysis of current construction rates and standards, economic conditions and existing policies, are defined reference buildings relevant for the actual practices in construction of offices, single- and multi-family buildings. Therefore, different improved thermal insulation variants and heating options are simulated in order to determine the impact of these improved nZEB solutions in terms of energy performance, CO2 emissions, renewable energy share and additional annualised costs. To improve the CO2 balance and the renewable energy share of the building, the simulation was also performed on improved basic nZEB solutions by using additional photovoltaic rooftop systems. The macro-economic implications of the nZEB solutions are also evaluated.

Based on the simulation of the selected nZEB solutions, for each of these three countries are proposed nZEB definitions, policy recommendations and implementation roadmaps.