See also
Energy Performance of Buildings Directive: A missed opportunity to set clear targets for buildings?
In March, EU lawmakers adopted the final version of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.
This brief reviews the directive's development and evaluates the repercussions of postponing the prohibition on gas boiler sales, employing two sensitivity analyses based on Enerdata's CEDF scenarios.
The European Parliament and the Council of Europe have reached a provisional agreement on a proposal to revise the energy performance of buildings directive (EPBD), aiming to substantially reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy consumption in the EU building sector by 2030 and make it climate neutral by 2050.
The proposed revised EPBD requires that new buildings occupied or owned by public authorities should be zero-emission as of 2028, with all new buildings being zero-emission as of 2030. Member states should also establish measures to ensure a reduction in the average primary energy used in residential buildings of at least 16% by 2030 and at least 20 to 22% by 2035. Another measure asks for the renovation of the 16% worst-performing non-residential buildings by 2030 and, by 2033, the worst-performing 26% through minimum energy performance requirements. In addition, the deployment of solar installations in all new residential buildings is to be expected by 2030, with progressive installation in existing public and non-residential buildings if it is technically and economically suitable for the member states. Regarding heating and cooling systems, member states should adopt measures to decarbonise heating systems to completely phase out fossil fuel boilers by 2040, including ending the subsidising of stand-alone fossil fuel boilers as of 2025.
The provisional agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council needs to be endorsed and formally adopted by both institutions.
The revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive is one of the ‘Fit for 55' proposals presented by the Commission in July 2021, setting the vision for achieving a zero-emission building stock by 2050. The existing EPBD (2018) lays down minimum requirements for the energy performance of new buildings and of existing buildings that are being renovated and introduces an energy performance certification for buildings. The EU's long-term growth plan, the European Green Deal, aims to make Europe carbon neutral by 2050.
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