Energy performance of buildings

SUMMARY OF:

Directive 2010/31/EU on the energy performance of buildings

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE DIRECTIVE?

It aims to improve the energy performance of buildings in the European Union (EU), taking into account various climatic and local conditions.
It sets out minimum requirements and a common framework for calculating energy performance.
Following a review of its implementation, Directive 2010/31/EU was amended in 2018 by Directive (EU) 2018/844. The principal aim was to accelerate the cost-effective renovation of existing buildings and to promote smart technologies in buildings. As part of the Clean Energy package, the amending directive complements legislation on energy efficiency.

KEY POINTS

EU countries must set optimal minimum energy performance requirements. These should be reviewed every 5 years. They must cover the building, its components and the energy used for:
- space heating;
- space cooling;
- domestic hot water;
- ventilation;
- built-in lighting;
- other technical building systems*.
The European Commission has established a comparative methodology framework to calculate the optimal cost levels for the energy performance requirements.
New buildings must meet the minimum standards. Buildings owned and occupied by public authorities should achieve nearly zero-energy status* by 31 December 2018 and other new buildings by 31 December 2020.
Existing buildings, when undergoing a major renovation, must upgrade their energy performance to meet the applicable requirements.
EU countries must operate an energy performance certification system. The certificates:
- provide information for prospective purchasers or tenants of a building’s energy rating;
- include recommendations for cost-effective improvements;
- must be referred to in all commercial media advertisements when premises are offered for sale or rent.
EU countries’ national authorities must ensure schemes are in place to inspect heating and air-conditioning systems.

Amendments to the original directive

Amending Directive (EU) 2018/844 requires EU countries to draw up long-term renovation strategies to support the renovation of both residential and non-residential buildings into a highly energy-efficient and decarbonised building stock by 2050. The strategies should set out a roadmap with measures and measurable progress indicators, with a view to the EU’s long-term 2050 goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80-95% compared to 1990. The roadmap must include indicative milestones for 2030, 2040 and 2050, and specify how they contribute to achieving the EU’s energy efficiency targets in accordance with Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency (see summary).
In addition, the revised directive:
- expands the scope of the current inspection regime of heating and air-conditioning systems to include combined systems (with ventilation) and to account for the performance of the systems under typical operating conditions;
- encourages the use of information and communication technology and smart automation and control technologies in buildings;
- supports the rollout of the infrastructure for electric vehicle recharging in buildings’ car parks by requiring the installation of ducting infrastructure and recharging points;
- introduces a ‘smart readiness indicator’ to rate buildings' capacity to adapt to the needs of the occupant, optimise its operation and interact with the grid.

Optional common EU scheme for rating the smart readiness of buildings

In 2020, the Commission adopted a delegated act and an implementing act:

Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/2155 supplements Directive (EU) 2010/31/EU by establishing an optional common EU scheme for rating the smart readiness of buildings, i.e. it defines the smart readiness indicator and a common methodology by which it is to be calculated. The methodology consists of calculating smart readiness scores of buildings or building units and deriving smart readiness rating of buildings or building units.
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2156 sets out the technical details for implementing the optional common EU scheme for rating the smart readiness of buildings. It covers aspects including:
- smart readiness indicator experts’ accreditation and qualification,
- smart readiness indicator certificate issue and terms and conditions of its use, and
- smart readiness indicator scheme testing.

Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/2155 and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2156 have applied since 10 January 2021.

FROM WHEN DO THE DIRECTIVES APPLY?

Directive 2010/31/EU has applied since 8 July 2010 and had to become law in the EU countries by 9 July 2012.
Amending Directive (EU) 2018/844 has applied since 9 July 2018 and had to become law in the EU countries by 10 March 2020.

BACKGROUND

The building sector in the EU is the largest single energy consumer in Europe, absorbing 40% of energy, and about 75% of buildings are energy inefficient. Given these poor energy efficiency levels, decarbonising the building stock is one of the EU’s long-term goals. This directive is an important element in making buildings more efficient.

For more information, see

Energy performance of buildings directive (European Commission).

KEY TERMS

Technical building system: technical equipment for space heating, space cooling, ventilation, domestic hot water, built-in lighting, building automation and control, on-site electricity generation, or a combination thereof, including those systems using energy from renewable sources, of a building or building unit.

Nearly zero-energy building: a building that has a very high energy performance. The very low amount of energy required should be covered to a very significant extent from renewable sources, including energy from renewable sources produced on-site or nearby.

MAIN DOCUMENT

Directive 2010/31/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 May 2010 on the energy performance of buildings (recast) (OJ L 153, 18.6.2010, pp. 13-35)

Successive amendments to Directive 2010/31/EU have been incorporated in the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.