The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy adopted an own-initiative report by Seán KELLY (EPP, IE) on the implementation of the energy performance of buildings Directive.
Buildings are responsible for 36% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The building renovation sector is one of the key areas for reducing GHGs and reaching the EUs climate neutrality, energy efficiency and European Green Deal objectives.
The building renovation rate is currently very low at around 1 % per year, with the rate of deep renovations at 0.2 % per year. Renovation programmes do not always cover the improvement of energy efficiency and the increase of renewable energy sources.
Strengthening the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and detailed long-term renovation strategies should play a leading role in increasing the scale, speed, depth and quality of renovation of the EU's building stock through new innovative policy measures, as suggested by the 'renovation wave'.
The report stressed that the provisions of Article 2a of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (long-term renovation strategies) will need to be strengthened and effectively implemented in order to ensure that the construction sector successfully contributes to the reduction of at least 55% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and to the EU's climate neutrality objective by 2050 at latest. The main objective of the Directive, its intermediate milestones and indicators will also have to be adapted accordingly.
Recommendations
Members called on the Commission to:
- continue to monitor the implementation of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive by Member States, in particular with regard to social housing stock, and if necessary take action in case of non-compliance;
- consider how to formulate a standard template that Member States could use to ensure that they meet all the requirements of Article 2a of the Directive and harmonise goals and requirements to allow for better comparability of progress and results;
- consider how to further facilitate the development of one-stop shops that provide advisory services to citizens and other stakeholders (including technical assistance, information campaigns, training and project funding);
- link long-term renovation strategies with the relevant provisions of the Energy Efficiency Directive and the Renewable Energy Directive on efficient district heating and cooling and on the promotion of renewable energy in the building sector, such as solar, thermal and geothermal energy, as well as a greater role for energy storage and self-consumption;
- consider extending the scope of mobility in the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive by introducing, where possible, minimum requirements for bicycle parking facilities and electric bicycle charging points for different types of buildings.
Highlighting the benefits of the digitalisation of building and construction technologies, the report encouraged the use and deployment of emerging technologies, such as smart meters, smart charging, smart heaters, storage technologies and grid-interoperable energy management systems, as well as three-dimensional modelling and simulation and artificial intelligence, to boost carbon emission reductions at every stage of a building's lifecycle.
Members also stressed that the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive should ensure that renovation delivers value for money and a return on investment for homeowners and building owners, reduced energy bills and improved sustainability, by establishing real and measured improvements in the energy performance of buildings.
Member States are encouraged to:
- ensure an effective, ambitious and consistent implementation of the agreed Smarter Potential Indicator system across the EU;
- create a more stable environment for investors, developers, homeowners and tenants, by improving access to financial and fiscal mechanisms to support the mobilisation of private investment and foster public-private partnerships, and by taking measures to promote loans that make energy efficiency a criterion for lower interest rates;
- use long-term renovation strategies to implement innovative policies to actively involve citizens in their design and implementation and in energy efficiency programmes;
- establish an integrated framework including financing and technical assistance for the progressive introduction of minimum energy performance standards, which will ultimately contribute to the achievement of the 2030, 2040 and 2050 milestones in their long-term renovation strategies;
- target the decarbonisation of heating and cooling in buildings and consider incentive schemes, with a focus on the most vulnerable consumers, to replace old, fossil fuel-based and inefficient heating systems in buildings, including the introduction of replacement targets in line with long-term renovation strategies;
- ensure that charging points in buildings are ready for smart charging and facilitate the introduction of electric vehicle charging points in renovations, new construction and new installations.