Key Highlights of the Revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive

18 December 2023

On Thursday 7^th December, the European Commission, European Parliament and Council of the European Union reached a final agreement on the revision of the Energy Performance of Building’s Directive, initially proposed in 2021. The Energy Performance of Building’s Directive (EPBD) is the key policy driving the decarbonisation of the EU’s building stock.

This agreement followed several rounds of negotiations as the co-legislators worked to develop a revision that increases the ambition of energy performance of buildings in the EU. As it stands, the EPBD sets out several requirements that Member States must ensure their building stock meets.

Alongside updating existing requirements on the provision of energy performance certificates, mandatory inspection of heating and cooling systems, electric vehicle charging infrastructure and national renovation strategies, the revision of the Directive also introduces several new requirements to enhance buildings’ energy performance – including:

Key new requirements

1. Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPs)

• • Non-residential buildings: 16% of the worst performing buildings to be renovated by 2030 and 26% of the worst performing buildings to be renovated by 2033
  • Residential buildings must meet renovation targets set at the Member State level, with average energy consumption to be reduced by 16% in 2030 and between 20-22% in 2035

 

2. Nearly Zero Energy Buildings

• • Member States will now have greater autonomy in defining NZEB thresholds for new buildings
  • All new buildings must be zero-energy from 2030 onwards

3. Renewable Energy

• • All new buildings must be designed as “solar ready”
  • Solar panels must be installed on the roofs of:
    • All new public and non-residential buildings > 250 m2 by end of 2026
    • All existing public and non-residential buildings > 400m2 undergoing major renovation by end 2027
    • All new residential buildings by end 2029

4. Phase Out Fossil Fuel

• • Fossil fuel boilers should be phased out by 2040

5. Life Cycle Carbon

• • All new buildings will require a carbon footprint declaration
  • The requirement would first apply to all buildings > 2000m2 and all new buildings from 2030 onwards
  • Calculation rules should follow standards used in EN15978 and Level(s)

 

Next Steps? The agreement reached by the negotiators is provisional and once endorsed by the European Parliament, and formally adopted by the Council and Commission it will be written into EU law. Member States will then have two years to transpose these revised requirements into national legislation. Contact us to learn more!