ENERGY PERFORMANCE OF BUILDINGS DIRECTIVE (EPBD)

Legislative framework

The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive 2010/31/EU (EPBD) replaced Directive 2002/91/EC setting a more ambitious framework to improve the energy efficiency of EU buildings. The EPBD is the main legislative instrument at EU level to achieve energy performance in buildings. The Directive requires Member States to set performance standards for buildings; apply energy performance certificates (EPCs) to buildings; and ensure that from the end of the decade only "nearly zero energy buildings" (NZEBs) are built.

Key elements in EPBD (2010/31/EU (EPBD):

Article 19: stipulates European Commission to evaluate the Directive until the end of 2016. The evaluation should consist of the five different assessment criteria: Relevance, Effectiveness, Efficiency, EU-added value, and Coherence. The evaluation is a direct follow up to the Communication on an Energy Union. The results of the evaluation would provide the basis for the Impact Assessment of policy options in the framework of the EPBD review.
This Directive has made it possible for consumers to make informed choices that will increase energy savings, costs and result in better and efficient energy performance of buildings.

Revised Energy performance of buildings directive (EPBD)

The clean energy package by European Commission on 30 November 2016 included a targeted revision of the 2010 Directive on the energy performance of buildings to help to promote the use of smart technology in buildings, to streamline existing rules and accelerate building renovation. The Commission also published a new buildings database – the EU Building Stock Observatory – to track the energy performance of buildings across Europe. In order to direct investment towards the renovation of building stock, the Commission also launched the Smart Finance for Smart Buildings initiative, which has the potential to unlock an additional €10 billion of public and private funds for energy efficiency and renewable uptake in buildings.

With an obligation that all new buildings are nearly zero-energy buildings by 2021, although the Buildings Directive was partly designed to meet the 20% indicative target for energy efficiency improvements under the 2020 climate and energy package, it will continue to apply in the following decade and should contribute towards delivering on 2030 goals.

On 9^th July 2018, the revised Directive (2018/844/EU) entered into force aimed at accelerating the cost-effective renovation of existing buildings, with the vision of a decarbonised building stock by 2050 and the mobilisation of investments. The revision also supports electromobility infrastructure deployment in buildings' car parks and introduces new provisions to enhance smart technologies and technical building systems, including automation.

Key new elements of the revised EPBD relating to HVAC sector

Incorporation of the provisions on long-term renovation strategies (Article 4 of the EED) in the EPBD.
Article 10 is updated to include two new provisions on EPCs to assess savings from renovations financed with public support are to be assessed by comparing EPCs before and after renovation.
Improved provisions on inspections of heating and air-conditioning systems (Articles 14, 15, 16), reinforcing the use of continuous electronic monitoring and building automation and control (BAC). Inspections of the Heating and Colling systems shall assess also the sizing compared to heating and cooling the requirements.
Annex I is updated to improve transparency and consistency of energy performance definitions at national or regional level and to take into account the importance of the indoor environment.
Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts on “smartness indicator” (SRI) (Article 23).

REHVA position statements during the revision of the EPBD

REHVA was actively following policy developments linked to buildings energy efficiency, especially the review of the EPBD. REHVA was mainly focusing to advocate for:

Ensuring high indoor environmental quality through defining the indoor environmental quality requirements, IEQ criteria/indicators which shall be reported in a transparent way in the energy performance certificates. Additionally, the definition on “technical building system” shall include more focus on providing indoor environmental parameters.
Ensuring quality, proper maintenance and performance through mandatory inspection of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems.
Promoting the harmonized and ambitious applications of the EPB standards in Europe

All the updates about EU policy developments are regularly published in the REHVA Journal, Newsletter and Supporters’ Bulletin. This activity is supported by the TRC that coordinates the development of position papers and technical comments supporting evidence based European policy development.

Find more information on REHVA advocacy inputs about the EPBD revision

REHVA monitoring on the implementation of the EPBD

EPBD Guidance Documents

DG Energy has started the development of EPBD Guidance Documents after the publication of the revised directive. The aim of the documents is to help national ministries and policy makers to implement the revised EPBD and define common interpretation of the revised and new paragraphs of the Directive. Therefore, DG Energy run a consultative process with the Member States’ representatives in the EPBD group while taking also stakeholders’ opinion into consideration.

REHVA Office collected comments and recommendation to the informal draft guidance documents and sent the compiled inputs of REHVA Member Associations and TRC experts to DG Energy. Many REHVA experts sent valuable inputs and the comments were well-received by DG Energy that included many aspects in the documents discussed with Member States. REHVA submitted comments to the following documents:

1. Annex I - energy performance calculation;

2. Articles 2 and 8 - TBS;

3. Article 2a - Long Term Renovation Strategies;

4. Articles 8, 14 and 15 - Self-regulating devices and BACS;

5. Articles 14 and 15 – Inspections.

REHVA collected also best practices and national level policy information and shared with DG Energy relevant REHVA Guidebooks (e.g. Building Commissioning, Fire Safety in Buildings) as well as technical papers from the REHVA Journal. REHVA also promoted the best-practice AMEV guide on Technical monitoring of buildings developed by the QUANTUM project.

Smart Readiness Indicator

REHVA has been closely following the development of the SRI methodology. REHVA Office and Technology and Research Experts informed continuously in the REHVA Journal, Newsletter and website about updates and developments of the study preparation during 2018 and presented the SRI at several REHVA events and seminars.

TRC members provided inputs in the consultation process during the first SRI study (February 2017- August 2018) and are committed to have a stronger involvement in the second SRI study (December 2018).

In 2019, the REHVA advocacy group will further elaborate the REHVA position on the SRI methodology, exploiting synergies with the Smart Buildings Task Force to ensure active contribution and influence the 2^nd SRI study.