Energy performance of buildings

PURPOSE: to encourage energy efficiency and increase energy savings in the building sector in the light of recent technological developments.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Directive (EU) 2018/844 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2010/31/EU on the energy performance of buildings and Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency.

CONTENT: the review of the energy performance of buildings directive amends Directive 2010/31/EU and Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency. It is part of the Clean Energy package presented by the Commission on 30 November 2016 which constitutes a concrete proposal to implement the strategy for energy union, the main objective of which is to make progress towards decarbonising the EU economy by 2030 and beyond.

The main changes to the existing legislative framework are as follows:

Long-term renovation strategy: each Member State shall establish a long-term renovation strategy to support the renovation of the national stock of residential and non-residential buildings, both public and private, into a highly energy efficient and decarbonised building stock by 2050, facilitating the cost-effective transformation of existing buildings into nearly zero-energy buildings.

National strategies should contain a roadmap with indicative milestones for 2030, 2040 and 2050 and how these milestones contribute to achieving the EU's energy efficiency objectives.

In order to guide investment decisions, Member States shall:

• pay particular attention to mechanisms to involve SMEs;
• reduce the perceived risk of energy efficiency operations for investors and the private sector;
• develop accessible and transparent advisory tools, such as one-stop-shops for consumers and energy advisory services, on relevant energy efficiency renovations and financing instruments.

Member States shall also establish clear guidelines and outline measurable, targeted actions as well as promote equal access to financing, including for the worst performing segments of the national building stock, for energy-poor consumers, for social housing and for households subject to split-incentive dilemmas, while taking into consideration affordability.

Technical building systems: Member States shall:

• set requirements for these systems in terms of total energy performance, correct installation and appropriate sizing, adjustment and control of technical building systems installed in existing buildings;
• require new buildings, where technically and economically feasible, to be equipped with self-regulating devices that separately regulate the temperature of each room or, where justified, in a designated heated zone of the building unit.

Promoting electromobility: the Directive introduces minimum electromobility requirements for new buildings and those undergoing major renovations, such as the presence of at least one recharging point for electric vehicles in buildings with more than 10 parking spaces.

The Directive also requires that the ducting infrastructure installation, i.e. the conduits for the passage of electrical cables, be installed for at least one out of five parking spaces, in order to allow the subsequent installation of charging points for electric vehicles.

Member States shall establish, by 1 January 2025, requirements for the installation of a minimum number of recharging points for all non-residential buildings with more than 20 parking spaces.

Inspection of heating and air-conditioning systems: the new Directive recognises the competence of Member States to determine appropriate inspection measures and the frequency of inspections. The rated output for all inspections will be 70 kW. In addition, a feasibility study shall be carried out by the Commission before 2020 for the possible introduction of inspections for stand-alone ventilation systems.

Member States shall lay down requirements to ensure that, where technically and economically feasible, non-residential buildings are equipped with building automation and control systems by 2025.

Smart readiness indicator: the smart readiness indicator shall be used to measure the capacity of buildings to use information and communication technologies and electronic systems to adapt the operation of buildings to the needs of the occupants and the grid and to improve the energy efficiency and overall performance of buildings.

The Commission shall adopt, by 31 December 2019, a delegated act to complement the Directive by establishing an optional common Union scheme for rating the smart readiness of buildings.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 9.7.2018.

TRANSPOSITION: no later than 10.3.2020.