Energy efficiency in buildings

The recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (2010/31/EU) was published in the Official Journal of the EU on 18 June 2010.

The Directive is the main legislative instrument at EU level to achieve energy performance in buildings. Under this Directive, the Member States must apply minimum requirements as regards the energy performance of new and existing buildings, ensure the certification of their energy performance and require the regular inspection of boilers and air conditioning systems in buildings.

The main provisions of the directive:

• Member States will apply their own methodology for calculating energy performance of buildings in accordance with certain guidelines provided in Annex I of the directive – each methodology can be adopted at national or regional level
• Minimum energy performance requirements will be set with a view to achieving “cost-optimal levels”
• The Commission will establish by means of delegated acts a comparative methodology framework for calculating cost-optimal levels by 30 June 2011
• The concept of “nearly zero buildings” is introduced, with deadlines as follows:
  • By 31 December 2018 for all new public buildings
  • By 31 December 2020 for all new buildings
  • Member States will establish a certification system for the energy performance of buildings
  • Member States will need to issue necessary measures for the regular inspection of:
    • heating systems: heat generator, control system and circulation pump(s), with boilers of an effective rated output for space heating purposes of more than 20 kW. That inspection shall include an assessment of the boiler efficiency and the boiler sizing compared with the heating requirements of the building. Heating systems with boilers of an effective rated output of more than 100 kW shall be inspected at least every two years, period extendable to four years for gas boilers.
    • air-conditioning systems: accessible parts of air-conditioning systems of an effective rated output of more than 12kW.

The transposition deadline into national law is 9 July 2012  - with application deadlines varying from January 2013 to July 2013 (details in Article 28).