PURPOSE : to improve the energy performance of buildings and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings.
LEGISLATIVE ACT: Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the energy performance of buildings (recast).
CONTENT: this directive promotes the improvement of the energy performance of buildings and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from buildings within the Union, with a view to achieving a zero-emission building stock by 2050.
National building renovation plan
Each Member State should establish a national building renovation plan to ensure 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, with the objective to transform existing buildings into zero-emission buildings. Each national building renovation plan should include a roadmap with measurable targets and indicators of progress set at national level, including reducing the number of people in fuel poverty, with a view to achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
New buildings
Member States should ensure that new buildings are zero-emission buildings: (i) from 1 January 2028, new buildings owned by public bodies; and (ii) from 1 January 2030, all new buildings.
Regarding existing buildings, Member States should take the necessary measures to ensure that, when buildings undergo major renovation, the energy performance of the building or the renovated part thereof is upgraded in order to meet minimum energy performance requirements set out in the directive in so far as technically, functionally and economically feasible.
Minimum energy performance standards for non-residential buildings and trajectories for progressive renovation of the residential building stock
Each Member State should set a maximum energy performance threshold to the effect that 16 % of its national non-residential building stock is above that threshold. It should also set a maximum energy performance threshold to the effect that 26 % of its national non-residential building stock is above that threshold.
The minimum energy performance standards should ensure, at least, that all non-residential buildings are below: (a) the 16 % threshold from 2030; and (b) the 26 % threshold from 2033. Compliance of individual non-residential buildings with the thresholds shall be checked on the basis of energy performance certificates.
Member States should ensure that:
- the average primary energy use in kWh/(m2.y) of the entire residential building stock: (a) decreases by at least 16 % compared to 2020 by 2030; (b) decreases by at least 20-22 % compared to 2020 by 2035; (c) by 2040, and every 5 years thereafter, is equivalent to, or lower than the nationally determined value derived from a progressive decrease in the average primary energy use from 2030 to 2050, in line with the transformation of the residential building stock into a zero-emission building stock;
- at least 55 % of the decrease in the average primary energy use is achieved through the renovation of the 43 % worst-performing residential buildings.
In their renovation efforts, Member States should put in place technical assistance and financial support measures, with a focus on vulnerable households.
Member States may decide not to apply the minimum energy performance standards to the following categories of building: (i) buildings officially protected as part of a designated environment or because of their special architectural or historical merit, or other heritage buildings; (ii) buildings used as places of worship and for religious activities; (iii) stand-alone buildings with a total useful floor area of less than 50 m2; (iv) buildings owned by the armed forces or central government and serving national defence purposes, apart from single living quarters or office buildings for the armed forces and other staff employed by national defence authorities.
Phasing out the use of fossil fuels in buildings
To decarbonise the building sector, national building renovation plans will include a roadmap with a view to phase out fossil fuel boilers by 2040. As a first step, they should not provide, from 2025, financial incentives for the installation of stand-alone boilers powered by fossil fuels.
Solar energy and sustainable mobility
The new rules should ensure the deployment of suitable solar energy installations in new buildings, public buildings and existing non-residential ones under renovation that requires a permit. Member States should ensure the deployment of suitable solar energy installations by 31 December 2029, on all new residential buildings and on all new roofed car parks physically adjacent to buildings.
The directive also provides for sustainable mobility infrastructure, including recharging points for electric cars in or next to buildings, pre-cabling or ducting to accommodate future infrastructure and parking spaces for bicycles.
Renovation passport
By 29 May 2026 at the latest, Member States should introduce a scheme for renovation passports. The scheme should be of voluntary use by owners of buildings and building units, unless the Member State decides to make it mandatory.
One-stop shops
Member States should ensure the establishment and the operation of technical assistance facilities, including through inclusive one-stop shops for the energy performance of buildings, targeting all actors involved in building renovations, inter alia homeowners and administrative, financial and economic actors, such as SMEs, including microenterprises.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: 28.5.2024.
TRANSPOSITION: no later than 29.5.2026.