10/11/2004

EPBD Details - Enviros

Background to the EPBD

In its Green Paper „Towards a European Strategy for Energy Supply“ the Commission highlighted that there exist dependency on external energy sources; greenhouse gas emissions on the rise, limited scope to influence energy supply conditions. These observations provide strong reasons to economise the use of energy wherever possible. It is essentially on the demand side that the EU can intervene, mainly by promoting energy savings in buildings and in the transport sector.

The residential and tertiary sectors have been shown to be the largest overall end users, mainly for heating, lighting, appliances and equipment. Numerous studies and practical experience show that there is a large potential for energy savings here, probably larger than in any other sector. The Green Paper concludes in this regard that, in general, the Community programmes for the support and promotion of new technologies have not succeeded to bring about the application of new standards on energy efficiency in buildings in many Member States. Therefore, more emphasis was placed on concrete measures – establishment of a clear legislative framework to reduce growth in demand. A proposal for the Directive on energy performance in buildings was submitted in 2001 to the Commission with an explanatory memorandum. (For more information see EPBD_proposal_en_501PC0226.pdf).

Details of the EPBD

The proposal was adopted by the European Parliament and the Council on 16 December 2002 as the Directive 2002/91/EC on the energy performance of buildings (referred to as „EPBD“ further on in the text). It was published in the Official Journal OJ L 1 on 4. 1. 2003, to be implemented in the Member States legislation by 4. 1. 2006, Articles 7, 8, 9 by 4. 1. 2009.

The Directive covers four main elements:

  • Establishment of a general framework of a common methodology for calculating the integrated energy performance of buildings;
  • Application of minimum standards on the energy performance to new buildings and to certain existing buildings when they are renovated;
  • Certification schemes for new and existing buildings on the basis of the above standards and public display of energy performance certificates and recommended indoor temperatures and other relevant climatic factors in public buildings and buildings frequented by the public;
  • Specific inspection and assessment of boilers and heating/cooling installations.

For the full text of the Directive see:

In addition to thermal characteristics, air-tightness, the efficiency of heating installations, hot water supply, air-conditioning, ventilation and built-in lighting, the following must also be included in the energy performance of buildings:

  • position and orientation of the building, passive solar systems and solar protection, natural ventilation, indoor climate, and
  • the positive influence of active solar systems and other heating and electricity systems based on renewable energy sources, CHP, district heating & cooling and natural lighting

That was why existing building standards and codes have to be updated and new standards and codes developed that would support the EPBD implementation. The CEN standardisation work has been presented at the following presentation by Randall Bowie, European Commission, DG Energy and Transport, with the Co-operation of the CEN EPBD Team (on Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and the CEN Standardisation Work).

Recent approaches to the EPBD implementation in other countries are available et the EU experience reports and also in following presentations made available by the Ministry of Industry and Trade:

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