Next-generation Energy Performance Certificates and Deep Energy Renovation

Panel: 7. Policies for a green recovery in the buildings sector

This is a peer-reviewed paper.

Authors:
Stefan Thomas, Wuppertal Institute for Climate Environment and Energy, Germany
Stephanie Veselá, Deutsche Energie-Agentur, Germany
Peter Pannier, Deutsche Energie-Agentur, Germany
Sriraj Gokarakonda, Wuppertal Institut, Germany
Maike Venjakob, Wuppertal Institut, Germany
Effie Korma, CRES, Greece
Lena Lampropoulou, CRES, Greece
Andreas Androutsopoulos, CRES, Greece
Gatis Žogla, Ekodoma, Latvia

Abstract

An important instrument to enhance the market uptake of energy-efficient new buildings and the energy-efficient renovation of existing buildings in the European Union (EU) are the Energy Performance Certificates (EPC). However, their implementation and use has varied between EU Member States. The European Commission has therefore provided funding to a number of Horizon2020 projects to develop next-generation EPC schemes.

One of these is the QualDeEPC project, aiming to both improve quality and cross-EU convergence of EPC schemes, and particularly the link between EPCs and deep renovation. The objective of the project is to improve the practical implementation of the assessment, issuance, design, and use of EPCs as well as their renovation recommendations, in the participating countries and beyond.

This paper presents the policy proposals and concepts for tools that the QualDeEPC project has developed as priorities for enhanced EPC schemes:

• Improving the recommendations for renovation, which are provided on the EPCs, towards deep energy renovation

• An online tool for comparing EPC recommendations to deep energy renovation recommendations

• Creating Deep Renovation Network Platforms (One-stop Shops plus networking and joint communication of supply-side actors)

• Regular mandatory EPC assessor training (on assessment and renovation recommendations) required for certification/accreditation and registry

• Achieving a high user-friendliness of the EPC

• Voluntary/mandatory advertising guidelines for EPCs

• Improving compliance with the mandatory use of EPCs in real estate advertisements

The paper will focus on the aspects related to improving the impact of EPCs for stimulating deep renovation. It will also present lessons learnt from the discussion with stakeholders at national and European workshops and from the testing of the proposals and tools in around 100 buildings, as well as from the first steps of their country-specific adaptation.

Watch presentation