EPBD FAQs: Contributing measures

How will energy performance certificates (EPCs) be implemented?

    In the original 2002 EPBD, energy performance certificates have had mixed implementation results. In 2009, eceee published a case study of Ireland and Portugal, two of the leaders in this. Now, the Buildings Performance Institute Europe is undertaking a wider study on 12 Member States. The Concerted Action activity of the EPBD includes only governments and it has certificates as a core theme. More information is also available from BuildUp, which is the EU funded web portal for energy efficiency in buildings.

    The recast is designed to strengthen the importance and role of EPCs. These are outlined in Articles 11, 12 and 13. First, consider some of the elements:

    • The energy performance certificate shall include the energy performance of a building and reference values such as minimum energy performance requirements in order to make it possible for owners or tenants of the building or building unit to compare and assess its energy performance.
    • Certification for single-family houses may be based on the assessment of another representative building of similar design and size with a similar actual energy performance quality if such correspondence can be guaranteed by the expert issuing the energy performance certificate.
    • The validity of the energy performance certificate shall not exceed 10 years.
    • Member States shall ensure that an energy performance certificate is issued for:
      − buildings or building units which are constructed, sold or rented out to a new tenant; and
      − buildings where a total useful floor area over 500 m2 is occupied by a public authority and frequently visited by the public. On 9 July 2015, this threshold of 500 m2 shall be lowered to 250 m2.
    • Member States shall require that, when buildings or building units are constructed, sold or rented out, the energy performance certificate or a copy thereof is shown to the prospective new tenant or buyer and handed over to the buyer or new tenant.
    • Where a building is sold or rented out in advance of construction, Member States may require the seller to provide an assessment of its future energy performance, as a derogation from paragraphs 1 and 2; in this case, the energy performance certificate shall be issued at the latest once the building has been constructed.
    • Member States shall require that when:
      − buildings having an energy performance certificate,
      − building units in a building having an energy performance certificate, and
      − building units having an energy performance certificate, are offered for sale or for rent, the energy performance indicator of the energy performance certificate of the building or the building unit, as applicable, is stated in the advertisements in commercial media.
    • Member States shall take measures to ensure that where a total useful floor area over 500 m2 of a building for which an energy performance certificate has been issued is occupied by public authorities and frequently visited by the public, the energy performance certificate is displayed in a prominent place clearly visible to the public. On 9 July 2015, this threshold of 500 m2 shall be lowered to 250 m2.
    • Member States shall require that where a total useful floor area over 500 m2 of a building for which an energy performance certificate has been issued is frequently visited by the public, the energy performance certificate is displayed in a prominent place clearly visible to the public.

    What standards have been developed to support the implementation of the EPBD

    The implementation of the Directive is supported by a set of European standards, dealing with a wide range topics including calculation of delivered energy, energy needs and energy costs, inspections and definitions. Harmonised standards are important for implementing the Directive. There were 31 standards developed by the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) for the original EPBD. They relate to the assessment and calculation of the efficiency of a building’s overall energy performance.

    In 2010, the Commission issued a mandate to CEN, CENELEC and ETSI to review the previous standards and to undertake new work related to the recast Directive. The new standards would be easier for MS to use. There is a good presentation on the standards available on the DG Energy website.

    Who will finance improvements to meet the objectives?

    Financing is a major concern, particularly for renovation of existing buildings. Article 10 states that “Member States shall draw up, by 30 June 2011, a list of existing and, if appropriate, proposed measures and instruments including those of a financial nature, other than those required by this Directive, which promote the objectives of this Directive. Member States shall update this list every three years.”

    Article 10 states: “The Commission shall examine the effectiveness of the listed existing and proposed measures referred to in paragraph 2 as well as of relevant Union instruments, in supporting the implementation of this Directive. On the basis of that examination, and taking due account of the principle of subsidiarity, the Commission may provide advice or recommendations as regards specific national schemes and coordination with Union and international financial institutions. The Commission may include its examination and possible advice or recommendations in its report on the National Energy Efficiency Plans referred to in Article 14(5) of Directive 2006/32/EC [eceee’s comment: the so-called energy services directive].”

    Article 10 further states: “In order to improve financing in support of the implementation of this Directive and taking due account of the principle of subsidiarity, the Commission shall, preferably by 2011, present an analysis on, in particular:

    (a) the effectiveness, the appropriateness of the level, and the actual amount used, of structural funds and framework programmes that were used for increasing energy efficiency in buildings, especially in housing;

    (b) the effectiveness of the use of funds from the EIB [eceee: European Investment Bank] and other public finance institutions;

    (c) the coordination of Union and national funding and other forms of support that can act as a leverage for stimulating investments in energy efficiency and the adequacy of such funds for achieving Union objectives.”

    The Commission supports financial support for the energy performance of buildings through various initiatives that are outlined on the DG Energy website.

    What support are MS getting to help implement the Directive

    There are many initiatives to support the implementation of NZEBs within the context of the implementation of the EPBD. First, there is Concerted Action EPBD, an EU-funded initiative that brings experts from MS together to discuss implementation issues and share best practice.

    Concerted Action involves those representatives of national ministries or their affiliated institutions charged with preparing the technical, legal and administrative framework for the EPBD in each country. The key aim is to enhance the sharing of information and experiences from national adoption and implementation of this important European legislation. The original Concerted Action EPBD came to a close in June 2007, but, with an implementation deadline of 2009 for Certification and Inspections, a second phase running until 2010 was launched immediately after the end of the first CA. The current Concerted Action aims at transposition and implementation of the EPBD recast. It is organised around meetings between national teams, regularly bringing together over 120 participants from 29 countries. It is accompanied by other measures to enhance communication, including a web platform and national update reports. More information is available on the Concerted Action website.

    There is also support from the web portal BUILDUP and from the Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE), with excellent analyses and publications. eceee also has two panels from its bi-annual Summer Studies dedicated to buildings policies and technologies.  Information on its 2013 Summer Study is available on the eceee website. Papers delivered at the Summer Studies are available for download on its proceedings page.

    Back to the FAQs on the EPBD start page.